Our Neighborhoods 2020 by Palo Alto Weekly

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THE ALMANAC | 2020 EDITION

Atherton • Menlo Park • Portola Valley • Woodside

A look at the people, places and happenings that define these communities’ neighborhoods AlmanacNews.com

Selling North Palo Alto

Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty | #1 Producing Group Michael Dreyfus | Top 250 Agent Nationwide, Wall Street Journal / Real Trends Michael Dreyfus 650.485.3476 m.dreyfus@ggsir.com Lic. #01121795

Noelle Queen 650.427.9211 n.queen@ggsir.com Lic. #01917593

Visit us at www.dreyfus.group 2 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

GoldenGateSIR.com · Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

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31 Haciendas Drive Central Woodside 4,000 sq ft older estate home with a 1 bedroom guest house and pool on 3 acres. Two blocks from downtown Woodside and four blocks from acclaimed Woodside School.

And I can help you too!

Sean Foley REALTOR® 650.207.6005 sean.foley@compass.com DRE 00870112

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Numbers 01079009 and 01272467. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been veriﬁed. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 3

570

homes sold in Atherton and Menlo Park

Over $2.5 Billion in total real estate sales

Superior Real Estate Representation for those who expect only the very best

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Jennifer Bitter, MBA

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www.lemieuxRE.com 4 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Atherton Menlo Park Portola Valley Woodside

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THE ALMANAC | 2020 EDITION

Atherton ............................................7 Lindenwood .................................................10 Atherton Oaks..............................................12 Lloyden Park ................................................14 West Atherton ..............................................16 West of Alameda ..........................................18

Menlo Park ......................................21 Sammy Dallal

Magali Gauthier

Allied Arts, Menlo Park

Alpine Inn, Central Portola Valley

he Midpeninsula area that encompasses Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside is in many ways a land of contrasts. Larger parcels offer residents more peace and privacy than is available in urban areas, but even so, the sprawling nature of these areas doesn’t stop neighbors from being, well, neighborly. The natural beauty of lush redwood forests and sweeping open spaces appeals to residents and local equestrians and hikers, but to the rest of the world, the area makes headlines for its pricey real estate, and on occasion, for the wellknown names behind some of those sales with high price tags. The numbers are undeniably noteworthy, but they only tell part of the story of an area that’s home to about 50,000 people, with a rich history that includes both agriculture and the more recent innovations of Silicon Valley. For the 2020 edition of Our Neighborhoods, we’re phasing in a new approach. For some neighborhoods, we’re revisiting Almanac feature stories that explore how the compassion, creativity and community spirit of residents

brings something special to a neighborhood — from the app co-created by a Menlo Oaks resident to help bring neighbors together, to the volunteer fire brigade that protects Kings Mountain. Several stories look at locally based independent businesses, including a natural food company named for Ladera, the neighborhood where its founder grew up, or how partners with local roots refreshed a beloved landmark in Central Portola Valley. Maps of each city or town show the locations of the neighborhoods. A fact box for each neighborhood provides information about schools, fire stations and shopping areas. Want to know more? You can download neighborhood maps or learn about other neighborhoods not in this book by visiting almanacnews.com/real_estate. Neighborhoods in Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos are also profiled at that website. — Heather Zimmerman

Vice President Sales and Marketing: Tom Zahiralis Sales representatives: Connie Jo Cotton, Neal Fine and Rosemary Lewkowitz

Note on statistics: Statistics drawn from U.S. Census Bureau.

450 Cambridge Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306 650-854-2626 www.AlmanacNews.com

Portola Valley ..................................51 Ladera .........................................................52 Westridge ....................................................54 Woodside Highlands.....................................55 Central Portola Valley ...................................56 Portola Valley Ranch .....................................58 Los Trancos Woods/Vista Verde .....................60 Blue Oaks ....................................................62 Brookside Park .............................................64

Woodside ........................................67 Unless otherwise noted, stories have been reprinted from the 2019 edition of Our Neighborhoods.

STAFF Publisher: William S. Johnson Editor: Renee Batti Neighborhoods Editor: Heather Zimmerman Designer: Kristin Brown

Fair Oaks......................................................22 Belle Haven ..................................................23 Suburban Park/Lorelei Manor/ Flood Park Triangle .......................................24 Menlo Oaks .................................................26 South of Seminary/Vintage Oaks ...................28 The Willows..................................................30 Felton Gables ...............................................32 Linﬁeld Oaks ................................................34 Downtown Menlo Park .................................36 Park Forest ...................................................38 Allied Arts ....................................................40 Central Menlo Park.......................................42 University Heights ........................................44 Stanford Hills ...............................................46 Stanford Weekend Acres ...............................47 Sharon Heights.............................................48

Additional copies of the Almanac’s Our Neighborhoods — as well as companion publications on neighborhoods in Palo Alto and Mountain View/Los Altos — are available at the Almanac for $5 each. All three publications are available online at almanacnews.com/real_estate. Copyright ©2019 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Emerald Hills ................................................68 Woodside Heights ........................................69 Woodside Hills .............................................70 Family Farm/Hidden Valley ............................71 Woodside Glens ...........................................72 Mountain Home Road (Central Woodside) ....74 Skywood/Skylonda .......................................76 Kings Mountain/Skyline ................................77

On the Cover: Midpeninsula neighborhoods clockwise from top left: Lindenwood, Atherton (Photo by Magali Gauthier); Woodside Heights, Woodside (Veronica Weber); Allied Arts, Menlo Park (Magali Gauthier); Elsie Robinson on the swing outside of her house in Lorelei Manor Neighborhood in Menlo Park (Ana Sofia Amieva-Wang); The Willows, Menlo Park (Magali Gauthier); Emerald Hills, Woodside (Michelle Le); Blue Oaks, Portola Valley (Michelle Le) Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 5

STEPS TO SUCCESS COMMUNICATION Communication is key. Things will crop up and the market can change on a dime. Knowing market trends and local activity is crucial, and keeping my sellers and buyers informed and up to date on the most subtle nuances is of paramount importance. EDUCATION To whom are you selling? From whom are you buying? Who is the agent on the other side of the transaction? What’s happening in the neighborhood? What’s happening with the market? The more knowledge you have, the stronger position you will be in. PREPARATION In our pent up and competitive market, you’ve got to be able to make quick decisions and move with speed and conﬁdence. Whether a buyer (understanding values, location, recent market activity) or seller (preparing your property for the market), being primed, poised, positioned and ready are only a few of the essential elements to your success! NEGOTIATION Everything is negotiable. Not only the price, but the terms of the contract, the length of escrow, allowances for repairs, seller rentback... and so much more. Asking for what you want and knowing what to ask for helps ensure your success.

Taking the ﬁrst step is easy, just contact Siobhan! Knowledgeable, prepared and driven, she’ll help you get the best results possible!

BUYERS – J & C “We had already put oﬀers in on a couple of homes and lost out in multiple oﬀer situations. Because of her collaborative relationships with fellow agents, Siobhan found us a property that was not yet listed on the MLS and we were able to get our great house, in one of the best neighborhoods of RWC, without crazy multiple-buyer competition!”

SELLER – LL “As a Feng Shui master, I have worked with many Realtors in the Bay Area for decades. We chose Siobhan as our agent because she oﬀers a personal approach to marketing her listings and her strong video skills really helped to tell our story; the videos showcased and highlighted all of the special aspects of our home that we wanted to share with would-be owners and this certainly helped to generate multiple oﬀers and get us Top Dollar... achieving record breaking results for our neighborhood!”

SIOBHAN O’SULLIVAN License# 01298824

6 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

650.776.5445 sos@osullivanteam.com | osullivanteam.com

• Lindenwood • Atherton Oaks

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FACTS 2019-20 TOWN OPERATING BUDGET: $17.8 million POPULATION: 7,187 (as of 2018) MEDIAN AGE: 48 years HOUSEHOLDS: 2,320 HOMEOWNERS: 90.8% 2018 MEDIAN HOME VALUE: $6.24 million

therton’s one-acre-minimum lots attract everyone from business CEOs to current and former professional athletes. Behind the walls and electronic gates, visitors can get a glimpse of stately mansions or peek at California-style ranch homes with sweeping gardens. Once part of a Spanish rancho, the town of Atherton was incorporated in 1923. One of its first rules was to ensure that lots would not be subdivided into parcels smaller than an acre. With a few exceptions that remains the rule today.

As traffic has impacted many Midpeninsula cities, Atherton has had its own share of concerns. One is whether to elevate the train tracks at intersection crossings (a resounding no). Though Atherton routinely tops lists of the nation’s most expensive ZIP codes, the town sometimes struggles to fund public projects. In 2018, the town was able to get a $10-million property tax advance from San Mateo County in order to rebuild its civic center. Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 7

Value Beyond The Market

What my clients are saying. . . “Cindy handled the bidding and purchase process masterfully. Although we have previously worked with real estate brokers who clearly just wanted us to “transact” as quickly as possible, Cindy counseled patience and gave great advice on bidding strategy. In the end, she was a very tough negotiator and because of that, we ended up getting the home that we wanted at a price that was better than we expected. We would heartily recommend Cindy to anyone who is looking for an energetic, knowledgeable, patient, and extremely skillful realtor.” N and A - Menlo Park ă/VO zBp lBsWObs BbM tbMOopsBbMWbU Bp zO bBoodzOM BbM TWbOppOM dto pOBoKVà 3_sWaBsO_|Û pVO TdtbM B JOBtsWTt_ VdaO off-market and helped us purchase it without a hitch. I highly recommend Cindy as an experienced, wellconnected agent in this highly competitive market.” E and J - San Carlos “Cindy was “off the charts” wonderful! Not only did Cindy do what she said she was going to do, she also did much more than that. Cindy made sure that my wife and I were communicated to quickly, and accurately. There was never anything left for chance. We were both amazed at the level of service Cindy gave us.” S and L - Menlo Park

Strategic Knowledgeable Trustworthy Tech Driven

Cindy Liebsch 650.591.7473 cindy@cindyliebsch.com DRE 01324217

8 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Welcome to the neighborhood. Now stay connected.

The Almanac is the most valued and trusted source of local news in the area. Let our award-winning team of journalists keep you connected to life on the Midpeninsula with breaking news, arts & entertainment and all thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening around Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside.

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 9

Lindenwood

10 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

File photo

here’s no through traffic in Lindenwood. If you go in, you’ll be coming out the same way. Once through the gates, remnants of the original Flood estate, one could easily get lost in the maze of streets or simply enjoy the peace and quiet. Joan Sanders, her husband and twoplus children (ultimately, there would be five children raised in Lindenwood) were looking to leave San Francisco in 1970. The couple found Mill Valley too hilly, Orinda (with its new connection via BART) too expensive. Then a Realtor showed them a “terrible house” in a then-depressed area of Atherton. Looking out the window, a Rufusspotted towhee ( a bird-lover’s dream) caught Sanders’ eye and she was sold. Nine remodels later, the family has retained the single story, common to the Hare, Brewer and Kelley development of the original 294 ranch-style homes, mostly built in the late 1940s. Now the Lindenwood Homes Association encompasses close to 500 homes, stretching the boundary to Ringwood Avenue. Today, the sounds of constant construction can be heard, as ranch houses are being transformed into an eclectic mix of Tuscan, Etruscan, Southern French or black-andwhite farmhouse, with a touch of the Hamptons, Sanders points out on a tour. “Atherton has no architectural review. If you are within the zoning regulations, you are free to put up what you want. It makes for good architectural texture,” she said. Further remnants of the Flood estate include a fountain, a statue on a pedestal, urns, light post and low walls can be found in the 1-acre gardens; one resident simply cut a swath in the front hedge to enable her neighbors to see the fountain as they pass by, she said. Despite the large size of the lots and the appearance of higher walls in front of newly built houses, neighbors manage to see each other often while out walking their dogs, gardening or just strolling along. They also get together for an annual homeowners’ meeting, with refreshments and the MenloAtherton High School jazz band entertaining. The association addresses concerns about safety, with disaster preparedness a priority, as well as maintains landscaping around the gates, decorates for Christmas, monitors vacant houses to make sure pools cannot harbor mosquitoes while awaiting new construction and welcomes new residents, Sanders said. Emily Hung and her husband, Hao Chu, chose Lindenwood in 2013 to be closer to her brother in Menlo Park. They had originally intended to remodel their rancher, but contractors and architects “incentivized” them to tear it down and start over, Hung said. Their home took a year to build and

FACTS

was completed in 2016; it now includes a 5,000-square-foot home as well as a guest CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Playschool, Holbrookhouse. Before starting construction, the Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton couple knocked on their neighbors’ doors FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park to introduce themselves and give a heads up LOCATION: Marsh Road, Ringwood Avenue, Bay Road about what was to come. The neighbors then and Middlefield Road introduced them to others. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Lindenwood Even before construction was complete, Homes Association, lindenwoodhomes.org, info@ they were invited to a cookie exchange to lindenwoodhomes.org meet the neighbors. Once they moved in, they PARK: Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., hosted the next exchange, she said. Atherton “People are so friendly. We talk, we text, we PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — have tea,” Hung said. Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Encinal School, The only down sides to Lindenwood that 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, Sanders sees are the popularity of high walls 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. and gates that definitely discourage trick-orSequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton treaters or door-to-door political canvassers. High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park “The new people have put up a lot of SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park walls and fences, which leads to a bit more isolation,” she said. Hung hears bells and broadcasts from busy,” she added. “Mostly, we like it better nearby Encinal School, but mostly finds the than West Atherton. It’s walkable and people neighborhood quiet, green and peaceful. know each other. It’s like a community.” “The pace here is a little bit slower, people are older. In Palo Alto, people were always — Carol Blitzer

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 11

Atherton Oaks

Marjan Sadoughi

The gardens and historic buildings of nearby Holbrook-Palmer Park make it a favorite neighborhood destination.

fter a few years of searching, Bill and Lee Schroeder found a place with a story and character for their family to call home in the Atherton Oaks neighborhood. Bill said that Lee did most of the searching and picked their new place because she “fell in love with the house.” “I wanted a house with history,” Lee said. “It’s a grand house but has a coziness to it.” The property dates back to 1906 when it was designed by Willis Polk, who also designed the Filoli estate and other Bay Area buildings. At more than 10,000 square feet, the house’s grandness is apparent. At the time it was built, it sat on 18 acres and had ponies and one of the first swimming pools in the area, Lee said. Today, the lot is down to 1 acre, which is more common for the neighborhood. These estates were originally built because of their proximity to the railroad tracks and early20th-century San Francisco residents’ desire to escape the fog of the city. “They could ride down and enjoy time in their country homes,” Lee said. Through the years, the Schroeders have welcomed past residents into their home to hear stories about what it was like to live in the home in the 1900s. Some visitors were members of a family with 15 children, who used to journey down from the city to spend

12 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

time in the more rural setting. “They had two big boards with schedules so they could keep everyone’s schedule straight,” Lee said. Lee’s daughter worked on a related project while attending Castilleja School in Palo Alto. She dug through the archives and came across a Castilleja alumna who lived in the home. By reaching out to living family members, she learned the swimming pool tidbit and that a wedding was once held in the living room. “It’s like we can see the footprints of the other people who have lived here,” Lee said. Since the Schroeder family moved in more than a quarter of a century ago, they have also hosted special events, such as fundraisers, to continue the home’s history. Just outside of the blocks of Atherton Oaks, its residents are able to easily explore the community. This includes strolling to the train station on the weekends, as well as going to the library, city hall, schools and Holbrook-Palmer Park. At the park, Homer Field at Willie Mays Ballpark opened in May 2015. The field is named after Atherton resident Willie Mays and Mike Homer, who donated much of the money for the park’s original field. “It’s like a small version of a big ballpark,” Bill said. The Schroeders enjoy trips to the park

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: The Playschool, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park LOCATION: between Laurel Street and the Caltrain tracks and Middlefield Road, from Glenwood Avenue to Encinal Avenue and Watkins Avenue to Fair Oaks Lane PARK: Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Encinal School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park

with their grandchildren, who play on the playground. They also hop aboard the train on the weekend with friends to go have dinner in Palo Alto, and they look forward to even more walkable locations with the new town center on the way. There’s also activity in the neighborhood itself, with residents holding block parties from time to time, including a holiday leftovers party. “It’s a wonderful, elegant neighborhood,” Lee said, “We feel very comfortable.” — Brenna Malmberg

OUR SELLERS SAVE MORE WITH THE 3% ETHICAL MODEL* All DeLeon Listings

At DeLeon Realty, we are not commission-driven sales people who are merely looking to maximize our own interests. Rather, we take steps to eliminate

25.8%

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* When a DeLeon listing agent receives an offer from a DeLeon buyer agent, DeLeon Realty will waive 100% of the buyer’s side commission if the offer is accepted.

buyers represented by DeLeon Realty. Contact us to learn more about our 3% ethical model and what makes us the #1 choice in Silicon Valley.

T H E D E L E O N T E A M – T H E # 1 T E A M I N T H E N AT I O N . * *As ranked by REAL Trends 2019 Team Volume list. Published in the Wall Street Journal in June 2019.

Lloyden Park

Veronica Weber

ucked between the Atherton Caltrain station and the edge of Redwood City, the winding streets of Lloyden Park create a quiet little haven that’s close to schools, the library and Holbrook-Palmer Park. No two homes are exactly alike, although most were built in the 1930s and 1940s on onethird-acre lots. One Streamline Moderne home was built for the 1939 San Francisco World’s Fair. Sharon Herrell, her husband, Kelly, and son, Jack, tested out a variety of neighborhoods before settling on Lloyden Park in 2013. After living in Palo Alto, Napa and San Francisco, they decided to return to the Peninsula. “We realized there were so many pocket neighborhoods,” Herrell said. The family rented in West Atherton and Vintage Oaks before starting to look seriously into buying a home in the area. “We felt that West Atherton was not ‘neighborhoody’ enough,” she said. After losing bids on seven houses in the hot market, they went on hold for a year. But in 2014 the same house they had admired the previous year was back on the market and they jumped. Lloyden Park has “sidewalks, street lamps, kids ... and it’s quiet,” Herrell said. “We wanted Jack to have a neighborhood experience, to feel

14 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

like we were part of a community.” Rosemary Sisson has lived in Lloyden Park since 1969, when she and her late husband John swapped their Menlo Park home for the home his mother had lived in since 1942. They raised their two children there. “When we went outside, we could see El Camino Real,” Sisson recalls, noting how the neighborhood has filled in. The Sissons were attracted not only by the house itself, but by its location near the train station.” Sisson worked for Southern Pacific and wanted to take the train to San Francisco,” she said. And it’s very quiet. “Sometimes I sit in the garage and wait and time how long it is until a car or person or dog goes by. Sometimes it’s 15 minutes,” Sisson said. The best part of the neighborhood, though, are the neighbors, Sisson said. “They are all very, very nice and friendly. They walk their dogs.” The Herrell family’s favorite activity on a Sunday morning is to bicycle to the Menlo Park Farmers Market, Herrell said. When the Sissons were raising their family, it was common to have Fourth of July gatherings, but many of the old traditions have diminished over time. Herrell, noticing the number of children in the area now, got together with longtime

FACTS FIRE STATION: 32 Almendral Ave., Atherton LOCATION: between El Camino Real and the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad tracks, and from Wilburn Avenue to Lloyden Drive. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Lloyden Park Homeowners’ Association, Sharon Hume, president. PARK: Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Redwood City School District — Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School, 170 Selby Lane, Atherton; Kennedy Middle School, 2521 Goodwin Ave., Redwood City; plus magnet schools Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park, El Camino Real, Redwood City

resident Nina Dimitreli to organize Halloween in 2014. The kids went house to house, passing out fliers, asking people to call if they wanted to participate in trick-or-treating this year. Twenty people called to get their homes marked as Halloween-friendly, and 65 trick-or-treaters showed up at the Herrells. “We’re talking about reviving the block party, maybe around back-to-school or Memorial Day,” Herrell said. “That’s the next thing. I’m on a mission.” — Carol Blitzer

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 15

West Atherton

File photo

f all of the neighborhoods in the town of Atherton, West Atherton may be the toniest. Home to some of Silicon Valley’s most elite executives and investors, the neighborhood is one of the most soughtafter residential areas in the San Francisco Bay Area. Like all of Atherton, homes are located on lots of one or more acres and tend to be secluded behind private gates and large hedges. These homes typically sell for $10 million and above. West Atherton had relatively humble beginnings. In 1860, Faxon Dean Atherton, a merchant from Massachusetts, purchased 640 acres for $10 an acre and built a modest family home in the middle of it. The town’s founder raised his seven children in this home, and some of their names are commemorated on the street signs today: Elena, Isabella and Alejandro. At the center of West Atherton social life is the renowned Menlo Circus Club, which resides on the location of Atherton’s original home. This beautiful, private country club features state-of-the-art equestrian facilities, tennis courts, pools and a stunning clubhouse. The club, which traces its beginnings to 1920 when a few young girls on ponies decided to put on a circus for parents and neighbors, maintains its family

16 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

atmosphere today with children’s parties, family picnics, trail rides and other events throughout the year. It is also the scene of many social and philanthropic events, including its annual horse show and the contemporary version of the original circus, the Tally-Ho, a series of events that has raised millions of dollars for the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. Caren Taylor, who moved to West Atherton in 2011 with her husband and two sons, was drawn to the neighborhood by its wide streets, big lots and semi-rural feel. “We have two rambunctious boys, so we wanted a nice big piece of land,” Taylor said. The schools were also a big consideration for them. “We are a big fan of public schools, and we wanted to be in the Las Lomitas school district,” she said. “The boys love the school and they love the backyard.” According to Taylor, the only downside is that the large lots and distance between the houses can make trick-or-treating somewhat difficult. “We’ve been lucky,” Taylor said. “All of our neighbors are nice and friendly, and we’ve been invited to neighborhood parties.” — Kathy Cordova

FACTS CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Sacred Heart Montessori Preschool, 150 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton FIRE STATION: 32 Almendral Ave., Atherton LOCATION: between Alameda de las Pulgas and El Camino Real, from Selby Lane and Stockbridge Avenue to Valparaiso Avenue PRIVATE SCHOOLS: St. Joseph’s School, 50 Emilie Ave., Atherton; Menlo School, 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; Sacred Heart Preparatory, 150 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; Menlo College, 1000 El Camino Real, Atherton PUBLIC SCHOOLS: (Eligibility for school districts depends on resident’s address) Las Lomitas Elementary School District — Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada Middle School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park Menlo Park City School District — Oak Knoll School, 1895 Oak Knoll Lane, Menlo Park; Encinal Elementary School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park Redwood City School District — Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School, 170 Selby Lane, Atherton; Kennedy Middle School, 2521 Goodwin Ave., Redwood City; plus magnet schools Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park, Stanford Shopping Center

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 17

West of Alameda

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pon entering the West of Alameda neighborhood in Atherton, visitors find themselves transported to a bucolic realm. Apart from the cacophony of trains, the traffic jams that plague El Camino Real and Alma Street, and the airline super highways that frazzle the Peninsula, the neighborhood is marked by a soothing calm. The profusion of aged, mostly native landscaping includes oak, pine, bigleaf maple, madrone, laurel and sycamore trees — with the occasional oranges and reds of Eastern varieties. Heavily laden with berries, Pyracantha bushes bend into arcs over the earth. The sounds of splashing fountains can be heard behind wrought-iron gates and vinecovered stone walls. The full plantings and wide green spaces serve as fitting frames for the palatial, immaculately designed homes. West of Alameda is part of Atherton’s

94027, which Forbes Magazine declared the most expensive ZIP code, with a median home price of $6.7 million in 2018. But the quality of life in the neighborhood runs deeper than the handsomeness of its resplendent mansions. Katy Klaus, a resident for well over a decade, was enthusiastic about the family-friendly community. “It is a great neighborhood,” Klaus said. “I love the schools where the parent participation is amazing and kids can be walked to school and then play together in each other’s yards. The neighbors support each other and watch out for each other.” Realtor Denise Villeneuve, a West of Alameda resident for 20-plus years, offers a perspective that captures the neighborhood’s evolution over the long term. She describes the area as peaceful when she arrived. “The neighborhood was comprised of

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18 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

FACTS FIRE STATION: 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park LOCATION: Alameda de las Pulgas to Interstate 280, and Menlo Park city border near Walsh Road to the Woodside border near Fletcher Drive PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas School District — Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada Middle School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Woodside Road, Woodside

physicians and attorneys who worked in the city and came on weekends to take a deep breath and relax in the calm, quiet landscape with ranch homes,” she said. She explained though that the neighborhood’s location nearby to Sand Hill Road soon made it attractive to venture capitalists in the high-tech industry, who replaced the ranch homes with “mega mansions.” “People’s lives changed,” she said. “Professionals can no longer afford the neighborhood. Capital gains tax consequences make it difficult for elderly residents to leave the neighborhood, even though they may require smaller spaces. Formerly open with frequent dinner parties among neighboring friends, technology executives now create private compounds.” But with her all-year garden, chickens, and orchard of figs, lemons and pomegranates, Villeneuve said West of Alameda is still “the Garden of Eden.” — Bette Kiernan

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 19

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20 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

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2019-20 GENERAL FUND BUDGET: $169 million POPULATION: 34,549 (Census Bureau estimate July 2017) MEDIAN AGE: 36 HOUSEHOLDS: 11,861 HOMEOWNERS: 58.3% (Census 2018) XXX: 2018 $XXX MEDIAN HOME VALUE: $2.27 million

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or years, the city of Menlo Park, founded in 1854, was content to sit quietly next to Palo Alto and Stanford University. Its downtown was rather ho-hum, and usually people from outside the Bay Area didn’t know where it was. Today, it is now a firm part of Silicon Valley. Sand Hill Road venture capitalists and Facebook have put the city on the national map, as well as the Google founders

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Stanford University .

STANFORD WEEKEND ACRES

(a garage in South of Seminary), Kepler’s Books, the first Round Table Pizza, and even San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (he went to kindergarten at Oak Knoll School). Its vibrant downtown has some “buzzy” restaurants like Camper and The Refuge, the first Peet’s Coffee on the Peninsula, and plenty of community-building festivals and concert series. Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 21

Fair Oaks

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f you’re sick, Fair Oaks is the kind of neighborhood where a neighbor will drop off chicken soup. Or trade eggs for plants. Or feed your cat while you’re away. Hundreds of mature trees, including the eponymous oaks, line the varied streets of Fair Oaks. Chicanes, aka traffic-calming devices, force cars to wind slowly around those trees. Sandra Stafford Cecil, Kyle Barriger and Shannon Marie Ciortea are active members of the Fair Oaks Beautification Association (FOBA), which is responsible for upgrading the playground at Ninth Avenue and Edison Way, raising funds to create a Pocket Park at the neighborhood entrance off Marsh Road and organizing activities that bring the community together. With her son off to college, her daughter at Castilleja School and her work as a nurse in Palo Alto, Stafford Cecil was downsizing from her San Carlos home in 2008 when her realestate agent steered her to Fair Oaks. “Geographically and practically, it made sense to move closer,” she said. She found her new home small, but cozy, with a nice yard, and the neighbors “friendly and warm. We’re diverse, socio-economically, ethnically, in family size and style,” she adds, pointing to the single-parent, gay and straight families, as well as teenagers and some brandnew babies. Architecturally, the community is often described as “eclectic,” with most of the homes built in the 1950s. Some of the streets in this unincorporated part of San Mateo County feature sidewalks and curbs, but some blocks opted out of the assessment district and remain curbless. Evidence of teardowns and remodels is everywhere.

22 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Soon after Ciortea moved with her husband, Marius, and young son to Fair Oaks in 2010, she volunteered to become playground coordinator. Under her watch, she’s organized Halloween and Easter activities, as well as holiday caroling. “Part of my logic with the playground was to do events that were community driven, not just for children. ... Last year we did a baking contest. It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “It was a nice way to get the community together, including empty-nesters, grandparents whose grandkids don’t live nearby.” Mr. Barriger, who moved to Fair Oaks in 2007, got involved with FOBA when he noticed the “huge, weed-filled lot, (which was) made further into a mess” because of a San Francisco Public Utilities Commission water-improvement project that ran through easements behind many properties in the neighborhood. He said the Pocket Park development made FOBA more visible to the community at large. “We’ve definitely seen a surge in neighborhood support,” he said. Stafford Cecil was instrumental in raising funds, appealing to neighbors when local businesses at first failed to step up. Then a dentist at Marsh Manor pitched in $100, water was donated by Key Market, and more was raised going door to door and at neighborhood socials. Ultimately, FOBA received a $25,000 grant from the county to complete the Pocket Park and a further $45,000 to maintain it, with $15,000 of that allocated to upgrade the basketball court at the nearby playground. Stafford Cecil notes that block parties and Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) gatherings are common. Mr. Barriger serves as a block captain and has encouraged formation of two more neighborhood-watch N2N groups in the

FACTS FIRE STATION: 4101 Fair Oaks Ave., Menlo Park LOCATION: Fifth Avenue at the Redwood City border to Marsh Road and north of Middlefield and Semicircular roads NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Fair Oaks Beautification Association, fobaneighbors.org PARKS: Pocket Park, Bay Road and 18th Avenue PRIVATE SCHOOL: Synapse School, 3375 Edison Way, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Redwood City School District — Garfield School, 3600 Middlefield Road, Redwood City. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton; Connect Community Charter School, 635 Oakside Ave., Redwood City SHOPPING: Middlefield Road and Marsh Manor Shopping Center, Redwood City

neighborhood. He sees Fair Oaks as a neighborhood in transition, with many of the original homeowners moving on. “New people are coming in, a lot more families, which is lovely. It brings an energy to the neighborhood, which is fabulous,” he said. “You see a lot less walkers and a lot more strollers,” Stafford Cecil adds. Neighbors often communicate via the N2N Google group or through the NextDoor.com social-media site. Issues that concern the community range from speeders, despite the chicanes, to property crimes, including vehicular break-ins. “We’re all different, but we pull together nicely,” Ciortea said. — Carol Blitzer

Belle Haven

Photos by Sadie Stinson

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE

A public garden grows community

mile from Facebook’s headquarters, where property values are soaring under the watchful eye of developers, there’s an untouchable quarter-acre lot being rented for $1 per year. Not visible from the street, the city-owned parcel was a notorious hiding spot for stolen cars and late-night aerobic escapades until four years ago, when the city agreed to rent the land to the Rotary Club of Menlo Park, supervised by the club’s Glen Rojas and Joanna Jones. At the request of locals, they cleared the debris, consulted agricultural experts and created the Belle Haven Community Garden, turning suburban blight into a vibrant gathering place. Plot holders take full responsibility for the soil and reap all the fruits of their labor, most often motivated by the simple love of gardening. It takes perseverance to find the gardens, brave the waitlists (some as long as seven years) and harvest the crops, but most locals who manage to make it in never want to leave. Despite the massive size of the unused open space, when Rojas — the former city manager of Menlo Park — first heard about the empty piece of land in Belle Haven he couldn’t find it. A maintenance worker had to drive him to an unmarked alleyway sandwiched between two homes and walk him back to the overgrown lot that was far larger than Rojas could have imagined. “Very seldom can you find land this big,” he said. “We still don’t know why there’s so much space.” After the garbage, old couches and heavy undergrowth had been cleared away, they sectioned off 37 individual plots, and though the plots are small by community garden standards (just 4 x 8 feet), the gardeners make

Top: Jesus Becerra waters his plot at the Belle Haven Community Garden. Above: Andre Berro picks tomatoes from his family’s plot. good use of their space. Menlo Park resident Andre Berro is just happy to have a place to continue his family’s farming tradition. “My father had a vineyard in Lebanon,” he said, his farming childhood a common theme among community gardeners. Now working in public health, Berro lives in a condo with no outdoor space to grow food. He immediately signed up for a plot at the Belle Haven garden when it opened four years ago, and today his plot is overflowing with tomatoes, mint and rosemary — a flourishing oasis immune to the bustle of Silicon Valley. “I could be exhausted at work, and if I come during the week it’s truly soothing,” he said. He especially loves to bring along his 5-year-old daughter, who helps him garden with her own shovel and rake. Nibbling on fresh thyme and cherry tomatoes while they work is good for both of them, he said: “You can see it on her. When she goes back home she’s more refreshed.” Rojas seems proud of how the garden has matured, but he envisions even more. “We want to put a couple picnic tables in here; at some point we may think about (having) some

CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Belle Haven Child Development, 410 Ivy Drive, Menlo Park; Family Connections, 415 Ivy Drive, Menlo Park; Little Ages, 1407 Hill Ave, Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 1467 Chilco St., Menlo Park LOCATION: east of U.S. Highway 101 between Willow Road and Caltrain railroad tracks, near Terminal Avenue PARKS: Hamilton Park, 545 Hamilton Ave., Menlo Park; Kelly Park, 100 Terminal Ave., Menlo Park; Karl E. Clark Park (formerly Market Place Park, renamed in 2018 for local World War II hero Karl Clark), Market Place, Menlo Park; Bedwell Bayfront Park and the Bay Trail PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Beechwood School, 50 Terminal Ave., Menlo Park; Mid-Peninsula High School, 1340 Willow Road, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Ravenswood City School District — Belle Haven School, 415 Ivy Drive, Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton. SHOPPING: corner of Willow Road and Hamilton Avenue KEY ISSUES: With its proximity to the headquarters of social media behemoth Facebook, the neighborhood is experiencing “ongoing gentrification,” according to U.C. Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project, as well as issues with increased traffic. LOCAL GROUPS AND PROGRAMS: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Belle Haven Community Development Fund (offering mini-grants to help with neighborhood beautification and community events like block parties).

barbecue pits. … We’re trying to make it more of a community gathering place.” Like the plots themselves, as each season goes by, local community gardens are changing bit by bit. — Kali Shiloh Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 23

Suburban Park/Lorelei Manor/Flood Triangle

File photo

“F

amily friendly” is how Jessica Clark, a marriage and family therapist, describes her Suburban Park neighborhood where she’s lived for seven years. That quality is what sold her on the neighborhood. When she and her family wanted to move from San Jose to Menlo Park, they drove around the neighborhood and even from the car, she knew it would be a great place to raise a family. Clark’s intuition about the neighborhood as a family-friendly place was correct. “When kids play outside, they always see someone they know. They always stop to chat and will join them,” Clark said. “It’s a very friendly and social place.” Situated in eastern Menlo Park, bounded by Marsh Road to the north and Highway 101 to the east, sit the triplet neighborhoods of Suburban Park, Lorelei Manor and Flood Triangle. These tightly knit communities provide a relatively affordable place to live in Menlo Park. Suburban Park hosts holiday parades and a special street dance. All three neighborhoods share access to Flood Park, a large San Mateo County park on Bay Road. Another perk is being within walking distance of the hip Marsh Manor shopping center, with its sparkling new 24 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

grocery store, restaurants and yoga studio. Ranch-style homes are the norm. The curb appeal of the houses, often seen with bikes out front, is undeniable. Neighborhoods are full of families with small children, couples hosting parties in cul-de-sacs, and original homes from the 1950s. A freight train used to run on tracks behind the neighborhoods, but those have tapered off over the years. Nearby Flood Triangle is another popular place to live because of its amenities and peaceful nature. Doug Bui, a resident of Menlo Park for 50-plus years, sold his house and moved to Oakwood Place in Flood Triangle after he retired. Bui enjoys the accessibility and location of his house and cocktail parties that he and his neighbors host during the summers. “The weather is outstanding; there’s nothing more we could want,” Bui said. “We’re fortunate to be able to live here.” The Lorelei Manor neighborhood, just off Marsh Road, has its own active homeowners’ association, and was an early adopter of the Next Door social media app. Tom Cecil, a software engineer, bought his house at the end of 2010, when his eldest child had already started school and the family wanted to stay within the school district. He did not know much about Menlo Park when

FACTS FIRE STATION: 300 Middleﬁeld Road, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City Elementary School District — Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Encinal School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton. SHOPPING: Marsh Manor Shopping Center, Redwood City

he first moved to the area, but found that the neighbors were welcoming. Not everything is rosy, however. Some consistent complaints from the Lorelei Manor neighborhood are the commuters that contribute to the cut-through traffic from Marsh Road. “Cars can drive pretty fast, and there is a light industrial zone behind the neighborhood,” Cecil said. In the past, the mayor and the police chief have come to talk to the neighborhood about issues that the city and residents want to work on. “We’ve talked with the city, and the city was pretty responsive,” Cecil said. “There have been issues that come with the territory.” —Sarah Mason

Welcome to the Family. Recent transactions in Flood Triangle by Margot Lockwood and Ricky Flores

BUYER SOLD

REPRESENTED

7 Iris Lane

276 Hedge Road

SOLD

131 Hedge Road

1057 Sonoma Avenue

LEASED

FOR LEASE

18 Greenwood Place

4 Heritage Place Margot Lockwood DRE 01017519 | 650.400.2528 margot.lockwood@compass.com margotandricky.com

Ricky Flores DRE 02027985 | 408.565.5626 oWK^|à doOpŒKdalBppàKda FB.com/margotandrickyhomes

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Numbers 01079009 and 01272467. All material loOpObsOM VOoOWb Wp WbsObMOM Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 25

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Menlo Oaks NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE

Magali Gauthier

Raluca Perkins and Elodie Bottine created the MyNabes app to help build community.

Duo launches app to build neighborhood bonds

hen Elodie Bottine lived in Paris as a young woman, she learned of a 93-year-old neighbor who had lived alone in the same apartment building since 1935. The neighbor had no one to look after her, so Bottine looked in, then took care of her until she died at age 102. Now a mother of two and an entrepreneur living in the Menlo Oaks neighborhood, Bottine longed for similar inter-generational connections. In fast-paced and over-scheduled Silicon Valley, she found them lacking. She and a friend, Raluca Perkins, a resident of Palo Alto’s Crescent Park neighborhood, have launched a smartphone application to help their neighbors build community. MyNabes links people together in real time without the bother of annoying advertising plugs and negative comments found on other social-networking sites, she said. Two years ago, Bottine set out to build her own neighborhood social-networking phone application. The free neighborhood app lets people connect through 19 categories, from sports to playdates, volunteer opportunities and tool sharing to “need it now” for immediate needs, such as a cup of sugar. The new app launched in October 2019. On MyNabes, users have to private message with a neighbor when they want to reply to a posting. Those making a request, post what they want under one of the app’s categories: Loan of tools or objects, Playdates, Need a hand/DIY, Sportpartners, Pets, Groceries, Donate/exchange, Meeting with neighbors, Babysitters, Carpool, Request advice, Events and celebrations, Teaching/ coaching, Volunteers, Courtesy visits, Garage sale, Computer and Web, Daily help/work and Need it now.

26 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

After making a request through a short post under a specific category, a user can also decide the urgency of his/her request by choosing either “now,” “whenever” or by a specified date. Users can also choose who will see the post by selecting “just your street,” “your neighborhood” or “your nearby neighborhood.” Lastly, posters choose how they want to compensate someone for the favor by selecting one of six reward categories. Compensation can be a simple thank you, sharing fruits or vegetables, exchanges of items or errands, a drink, homemade cooking or money. Neighbors who receive the request can respond through a private message. Bottine said her children were in French school where they didn’t have the opportunity for many playdates. She also likes to run and could have used such an app to plan get-togethers for her children and herself, she said. The “need it now” category is kind of an SOS catch-all, and one Perkins said she relates to. “I was at home and the fire alarm started ringing,” Perkins said, recalling a frantic moment when the children were at home and she couldn’t leave the house. Using the app, she could have quickly borrowed a battery from a neighbor to end the noise, she said. The same goes for a badly needed wrench while in the midst of a plumbing project or those two eggs that are so desperately needed while in the middle of a recipe. Need a quart of milk and it’s rush hour? One post under the groceries category could save a trip if a neighbor is already at the store. Perkins and Bottine say the app can help save on trips, thus being more environmentally responsible. Instead of purchasing a tool one only needs to use a couple of times a year, the app lets neighbors share with each other. The categories also offer opportunities to check

CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Peninsula School, 920 Peninsula Way, Menlo Park; The Roberts School, 641 Coleman Ave., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park LOCATION: Ringwood Avenue to Berkeley Avenue, adjacent to the Veterans Administration Medical Center; Bay Road to Arlington Way NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Menlo Oaks District Association, menlo-oaks.org PARKS: Flood Park, 215 Bay Road, Menlo Park; Seminary Oaks Park, Santa Monica Avenue near Middlefield Road, Menlo Park; Willow Oaks Park, Willow Road near Gilbert Avenue, Menlo Park PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Peninsula School, 920 Peninsula Way, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Encinal School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park WHAT NEIGHBORS SAY: “The neighborhood is “generally affluent and close-knit with events that bring us all together.” — Rich Collyer “I’ve been here since 1985 ...A lot of people have been here for many generations. They don’t leave.” — Kay Hitch “People who live here care about quality of life, the environment and are very down to earth.” — Kay Hitch SPECIAL EVENTS: Menlo Oaks District Association annual neighborhood picnic

on an elderly or sick neighbor. Retired neighbors can connect with younger ones when they volunteer skills, such as tutoring or woodworking, Bottine said. Perkins said she met with some of her neighbors on her street to discuss what they’d like to see in a neighborhoods app. The categories align with their suggestions. “Our goal is to bring a social bond between all generations,” Bottine added. Bottine and Perkins said they chose to launch the app around Halloween, which is one of the few times of the year when people get out to mingle with their neighbors. How to engage the new population of immigrants is a frequent lament among neighborhood associations. Perkins, a native of Romania, said MyNabes helps new eliminate social and cultural differences for new immigrants and could make it easier to connect. “Everybody comes from a different way to approach people. This app offers a way for people who don’t connect by knocking on doors and who don’t want to bother other people to reach people. It’s bringing knocking on neighbor’s doors (for a cup of sugar) back into the modern age.” The MyNabes app is downloadable on GooglePlay and the App Store. — Sue Dremann

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Kristin Tsai Realtor DRE #01294153 408.605.8000 kristin@julietsailaw.com julietsailaw.com Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 27

South of Seminary/Vintage Oaks

File photo

hen Jen Wolosin moved to Vintage Oaks with her husband, Gabe, and two children in 2013, she wanted to meet other families who lived nearby. So she posted a note on the neighborhood social media app NextDoor. “It was like a blind date. We met at the park, the kids hit it off,” she said. Thus began a fast friendship with Rachel Rosner and her husband Craig Cohen, who live in the adjacent South of Seminary neighborhood. Vintage Oaks “is the kind of neighborhood where everybody knows everybody. We bump into the same dogs,” Wolosin said. Rosner finds that just as true in South of Seminary. When she and her husband were looking to cut their commute from San Francisco to the Peninsula, they looked closely at Menlo Park and Palo Alto. What drew them to South of Seminary? Although her son was only 1 year old (and she was pregnant with their second son), “We saw kids playing, and we loved the park across the street,” she said. “It has a really nice feel to the neighborhood. People were outside.” South of Seminary is an eclectic neighborhood, dotted with mature trees and mostly one-story homes on small lots, built between 1920 and 1950. Over the years they’ve been remodeled, torn down and rebuilt into a cohesive, friendly space. Vintage Oaks, 85 homes on quarter-acre lots, was developed in 1997, after a contentious referendum to build senior housing on the former St. Patrick’s Seminary property was defeated. 28 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Moving from San Mateo, the Wolosins narrowed their search down to Los Altos, Palo Alto and Menlo Park. “We liked Menlo Park: It seemed more intimate ... plus the houses (in Vintage Oaks) just made so much sense. The layouts were modern. “When they were first built, they were more homogeneous,” she said of the five or six models that look different from the outside. “Now every other house is doing something to update.” In South of Seminary, Rosner said, “We got extremely lucky with out neighbors. In other neighborhoods, people comment on how nice it is to have neighbors you’re friendly with and can talk to.” One way the neighbors come together is through the annual Nash Bash, a potluck block party that brings in local firefighters, games for children and a band. “People hang out and chat,” she said, adding that they often re-meet neighbors at the bash, “put faces with the homes.” Vintage Oaks has its own Fourth of July party at the park, as well as a Mom’s Night Out, Wolosin said. Although not much has changed in the last few years in either neighborhood, both Wolosin and Rosner noted that traffic along Willow Road has gotten worse. To compensate, Wolosin said she’s recently started biking more to run errands and avoid driving in the traffic. She’s particularly interested in transportation and land-use issues and is getting more involved in Menlo Park politics, including starting

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Building Kidz, 490 Willow Road, Menlo Park; Peninsula School, 920 Peninsula Way, Menlo Park; The Roberts School, 641 Coleman Ave., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park LOCATION: South of Seminary: between Middlefield Road and Coleman Avenue, from Willow Road to Santa Monica Avenue; Vintage Oaks: Seminary Drive at Santa Monica Avenue to Ringwood Avenue and Arlington Way PARK: Seminary Oaks Park, Seminary Drive at Santa Monica Avenue, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Laurel School Lower Campus, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Laurel School Upper Campus, 275 Elliot Drive, Menlo Park; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park, Willow Road, downtown Palo Alto

Parents for Safe Routes. “It’s very quiet. Part of me loves how tranquil it is,” she said, acknowledging she’s a tad conflicted when she knows the region needs more density. But she loves that when she hears the church bells at St. Patrick’s Seminary, “we know to head for the bus stop. It’s like a European town (where you) tell time by church bells.” “There’s not a lot of turnover. If two houses are for sale, it’s the talk of the town,” she added. — Carol Blitzer

NO ONE KNOWS VINTAGE OAKS LIKE ELAINE.

“We… met Elaine (and in) just 8 weeks… she helped us sell our home of 16 years and find and purchase the house of our dream! She was exceptionally professional, extremely efficient, and extraordinarily willing and able to do everything necessary to ensure the smoothest transactions possible for us. We ABSOLUTELY recommend Elaine and her team!” –John Kelly, Vintage Oaks buyer “Elaine, you are a ROCK STAR! Anyone selling in Vintage Oaks would be silly not to hire you, you are THE go-to expert... Your knowledge and connections were critical in pricing the house correctly, negotiating and getting things resolved very quickly... You earned every penny of your commission and then some.” – Jesse and Alison Deutsch, Vintage Oaks seller “Elaine is completely knowledgeable about the market and what appeals to buyers. She was available whenever we needed, had answers to all of our questions, and is a skillful negotiator — all while maintaining the utmost integrity.” – John Stacey, Vintage Oaks seller

No one has sold more homes in Vintage Oaks than Elaine — except the original developer. Contact Elaine for a free consultation at 650.465.4663.

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 29

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Willows NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE

Vivian Wong

New art event showcases creativity, sense of community

eresa Ryals was enrolled in the SelfExpression and Leadership program offered by Landmark Worldwide, which explored how to change her approach to get what she wanted out of life. She noticed that although her neighbors were friendly with each other, they were losing connections and had few interactions. “I wanted to help restore a sense of community within the Willows,” said Ryals. “There were no activities were neighbors could meet and socialize.” Ryals reached out to a few neighbors and started planning a new neighborhood event last

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June. The event, called We Art the Willows, would focus on art and creativity and feature the works of local artists, as well as activities for children. According to Ryals, there was a core group of about 10 volunteers from around the neighborhood that were a part of putting together the event. To spread the word, Ryals hung flyers on neighbors’ doors and said she received a positive response received. “It was clear that they loved the Willows and (were) excited at the opportunity to connect with the community,” said Ryals. With the focus on re-establishing a sense of community in the neighborhood, organizers chose to showcase the arts as a way to get people to share their interests and have meaningful conversations about their passions. “One of the neighbors is a photographer and another woman is really into plants and succulents,” said Ryals. “With the event we were able to have genuine interactions that were not being had.” The event featured painting, photography,

30 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

LOCATION: between Middlefield Road, Willow Road, U.S. Highway 101, O’Connor Street, Euclid Avenue and Woodland Avenue FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park PARK: Willow Oaks Park, Willow Road near Gilbert Avenue PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Alto International School, 475 Pope St., Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Encinal School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Ravenswood City School District — Willow Oaks School, 620 Willow Road, Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton SHOPPING: La Hacienda Market, Menalto Avenue; The Willows Market, Middlefield Road CLAIMS TO FAME: Farming pioneer Charles Weeks attempted to establish a colony of chicken farmers here in the early 20th century. A storefront on Menalto Avenue used to house the People’s Computer Center, a precursor to the Homebrew Computer Club — an important force in the personal computing revolution. WHAT NEIGHBORS SAY: “It’s a combination of people that are here for life and people that are turning over. I think it’s 50-50.” — Jim Wiley “We do a lot of pet-sitting tradeoff and house watching” — Carl Hesse “People actually stop to talk in our neighborhood. You can’t go anywhere.” — BethAnn Goldberg (who finds that because the neighborhood is so friendly, sometimes it’s hard to go for a run)

pottery, linocut prints, sculpture, macrame, jewelry, herbal medicine, and floral arrangements. We Art the Willows also focused on kids and getting them interested in their community. Held near the end of September, the inaugural event was an opportunity for kids to do something fun now that summer has ended and there are no longer fairs to attend. “It was a way to get the kids excited about their community and do something fun for everyone,” said Ryals. For the kids, there was face painting and arts and crafts booths, as well as free ice cream courtesy of Cafe Zoe. One group of youths collected book donations from the neighborhood and sold them at the event to raise funds for future events. With this year’s strong turnout, Ryals is optimistic for more community events and plans to incorporate educational sessions to benefit community members. These include disaster readiness tips, planting and habitat education, and info sessions on local organizations. They will also focus on finding others who would like to share their art and increase community participation. — Jonathan Guillen

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OMAR KINAAN, REALTOR ® 650.776.2828 omar@kinaan.com Lic. #01723115 FOR MORE INFO, VISIT KINAAN.COM Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 31

Felton Gables

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ith its lush greenery, windy roads and a U-shaped street arrangement that encloses it from outside traffic, Menlo Park’s Felton Gables almost feels like living in a forest, some residents say. The neighborhood can best be described as “tree-y,” Cynthia Ishler, president of the Felton Gables Homeowners Association, said of the neighborhood’s many oak trees. The 127-house neighborhood is the kind of place where kids can play in the streets, said Ishler, who grew up in the neighborhood. She left in her early 20s, but moved back seven years ago. “It’s always been a really nice and safe place,” Ishler said. Neighbors also have access to nearby Holbrook-Palmer Park, which borders the neighborhood. For now, residents can pay a $50 annual fee to access the Atherton park and its fields. The private access to the park may soon be restricted because of liability concerns. The town of Atherton recently surveyed the park’s boundaries as part of its project to build a water-capture facility in the park. The project will capture runoff water on its way to the San Francisco Bay to prevent flooding and remove pollutants, officials say. The survey will determine if any of the gates

32 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

FACTS

or fences are on town property. Felton Gables has undergone some changes, CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: The Playschool, with home prices recently rising, and with 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton homes selling for as high as $3 million, FIRE STATION: 32 Almendral Ave., Atherton according to online real estate firm Redfin. LOCATION: west of the railroad tracks and south of People still say “hello” when they walk their Holbrook-Palmer Park, between Felton Drive and Encinal dogs in the evenings, Ishler said. There is a little Avenue less interaction between people, but still more NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Felton Gables than your average neighborhood, she said. Homeowners Association: Cynthia Ishler, president Before construction of small, single-family, PARK: Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., ranch-style homes in the 1930s and ’40s, the Atherton neighborhood was home to the 1870s estate PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): Menlo School, of Senator Charles Norton Felton, whom the 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; Nativity School, neighborhood is named after. 1250 Laurel St., Menlo Park The ranch style of homes is changing a bit PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — as well, with two homes’ designs approved for Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Encinal School, more modern style, Ishler said. 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, Her mother, Diana Beuttler, bought her home 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. in 1968 and isn’t happy with the change. “It’s a little Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton disturbing because the houses all sort of fit in from High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton a design standpoint and these do not, which is a SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park pity,” she said. “However, I suppose things change and there’s not much one can do about that.” The neighborhood’s demographics have also The neighborhood still enjoys an annual fall changed in a good way, Beuttler said. cocktail party, which started about 40 years “Now it’s full of children and young couples because housing is so expensive here,” Beuttler ago, Ishler said. One neighbor always hosts, said. “You can’t afford big, big houses anymore, and it’s a chance for people to connect. plus we’re right next door to Encinal School.” — Angela Swartz

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 33

/LQÀHOG 2DNV

File photo

ack in 1982, Lynne and Tony Reynolds and their daughter were looking for a larger space in Menlo Park, ideally with a “nicesized yard and a pool.” “It was a very pretty neighborhood: lots of trees, walkable,” recalled Reynolds. “Once we moved in we realized what wonderful neighbors we had.” With ranch-style homes and two-story apartment buildings, Linfield Oaks was mostly developed in the mid-1950s. By the time the Reynolds’ arrived, the first residents’ children had grown and moved on, and a whole new set of young families settled in. “At one time we had something like 18 children under 15 on this block,” she said. Block parties were the norm on Memorial Day and Labor Day, with potluck barbecues and Frisbee tossing in the streets. “On a warm night, we’d sit out ‘til 10,” she added. That generation has turned over as well, but neighborhood traditions linger with an annual Labor Day weekend block party, Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend pizza party and elaborate Christmas lights. “It’s fun to drive around at Christmas,” Reynolds explains, due to the rivalry over the decorations. “It feels like a neighborhood that comes together and supports each other.” Reynolds’ only nit to pick is the change in traffic over the past 35 years. “This used to be very quiet,” she said, noting that there’s a lot of cut-through traffic despite the city’s installation of speed bumps on 34 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Willow Road. At the edge of Linfield Oaks, behind the former Sunset Magazine headquarters, is Morgan Lane, a townhouse development with a homeowners’ association, website and a neighbor-to-neighbor email list. Debby Seaman moved back to the Bay Area from Seattle in 2015, to be closer to her adult children. “I knew what the market was like here, and I’m an experienced buyer,” Seaman said. She credits her no-contingency offer as the clincher in this competitive market. “I thought I was buying a smaller, adorable detached house. I didn’t know I was buying a community,” she adds. She was quickly invited to serve on the homeowners’ association board, which she describes as “a way to get to know more people.” She was very attracted to the location, where she can walk to downtown Menlo Park or Palo Alto. She’s even sampled the wares from food trucks that gather, along with many neighbors, at The Willows Market just blocks away on Monday nights. Seaman has found the neighbors friendly. She hadn’t been there long when a neighbor came by with a bottle of wine — and an observation that an upstairs window screen was falling off. He then told her how to fix it and offered to do it if she couldn’t; she did figure out how to fix it herself, but she appreciated the heads up, she said. Morgan Lane boasts a couple of greenbelt areas

FACTS CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Burgess Afterschool Program, Burgess Kindercat Program (Menlo Park Recreation Center), 801 Laurel St., Menlo Park; Geokids Day Care Center, 345 Middlefield Road, M/S 204, Menlo Park; Menlo Children’s Center, 801 Laurel St., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park LOCATION: west of Middlefield Road to Alma Street and San Francisquito Creek to Ravenswood Avenue NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: JoAnne Goldberg, linfieldoaks@gmail.com; www.morganlane.org PARK: Burgess Park, Alma Street and Mielke Drive, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Encinal School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park; The Willows Market, 60 Middlefield Road

with children’s play areas. Every year they invite the fire and police departments to join residents at an annual May/June barbecue, another way for neighbors to get to know each other. And especially for the children are the annual Halloween parade (complete with treats before dark) and an Easter egg hunt. One challenge is visitor parking, but at least it’s free, notes Seaman, a real contrast to Seattle. — Carol Blitzer

A N N ET TE SM ITH

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MEGHAN & MINO Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 35

Downtown Menlo Park

Michelle Le

owntown Menlo Park “is idyllic,” said Kristen Leep, who grew up within a mile of her apartment. Close to shopping, Caltrain, parks and the Little House Activity Center, with a mix of apartments and single-family homes, the neighborhood has something for everyone. Soody Tronson moved to the neighborhood from Emerald Hills so her son could be closer to Menlo-Atherton High School. “It’s much more convenient,” said the patent attorney. “I go to a lot of meetings. I don’t sit at my desk all day. It makes it really easy to get to places.” And she loves running into neighbors at the grocery store or at the Sunday morning downtown Menlo Park Farmers’ Market. About a decade ago, Leep returned from two years in New York. “I was done. I didn’t find my community in New York. I came back and immediately found friends,” through her church and Spinsters, a San Francisco-based social and philanthropic organization. An elementary school teacher, Leep reconnected with many old friends from high school days and served on the Menlo Park Library Commission. “On Sunday morning I walk to the Farmers’ 36 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Market, then pick up things at Trader Joe’s. It’s a beautiful encapsulation of suburban life,” she said. Her only complaint is the constantly rising prices of housing, with her rent about double what she paid 10 years ago. “Houses are getting bigger, there’s a lot of remodeling,” she said. But the good news is “downtown Menlo Park is getting livelier. ... The original intent was that Menlo Park was a place to buy furniture, which led to a super dull downtown. Now there are restaurants, ice cream, clothing, shoes.” Not all that’s new is appreciated by everyone. Tronson regrets when the empty storefronts on Santa Cruz Avenue are filled by chain stores, rather than locally owned businesses. And she’d like to see more diversity, not just racially but culturally, with a greater variety of small businesses downtown, “but prices are going to stand in the way,” she said. On the plus side are her neighbors, some of whom dropped off cookies when she moved in. “It is a friendly neighborhood in general,” she said. — Carol Blitzer

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Kirk House Preschool, 1148 Johnson St., Menlo Park; Menlo-Atherton Cooperative Nursery School, 802 Middle Ave., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 700 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park LOCATION: between El Camino Real and Johnson Street and Arbor Road, from Valparaiso Avenue to Middle Avenue PARKS: Fremont Park, Santa Cruz Avenue and University Drive; Jack W. Lyle Park, Middle Avenue at Fremont Street; Nealon Park, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Encinal Elementary School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Lydian Academy, 815 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; Menlo School, 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; Sacred Heart Schools, 150 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton SHOPPING: Downtown Menlo Park, Stanford Shopping Center

Providing Exceptional Service to Clients on the UKù+M`U`nr]@Úč rzMmnÛ /M]]MmnÛ MwM]bjMmnÛ @`K `wMnqbmn Here’s a sample of a few recent transactions. PORT PO RT TO OL LA V VA ALL LLEY EY

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650.380.0085 colleen.foraker@compass.com

Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01079009. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 37

Park Forest

File photo

f you want to meet your neighbors in Park Forest, a development of about 75 multistory townhomes off El Camino Real, walk your dog, said Peri Caylor. Neighbors are out and about multiple times a day, walking up and down the three nonthrough streets, she said. In 2011, Caylor and her husband, Scott Szymkowski, had been looking for a shorter commute from Fremont and a larger home for their now-teenaged twins. “This allowed us much more square footage than a single-family house with a yard,” she said. Caylor was quickly integrated into the community when a member of the homeowners’ association asked her to fill in for the secretary at a meeting; she kept the job for five years. The main responsibility of the association board is to manage the park and pool. There are three associations (Park Forest I, Park Forest II and Park Forest III), which manage the three private parks and pools that serve the residents. Each holds annual meetings and occasional social gatherings. Morris and Denise Brown have lived in Park Forest I since 1970. “I loved gardening, but not an acre’s worth,” Denise Brown said. Both liked the idea of a private pool and park, “and I didn’t have to take care of it,” she added. Over the years much has changed and evolved. Generations have turned over.

38 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

“When we moved in there were more retirees or people further along in their careers. It’s multi-generational now. You can see a dad pulling a red wagon with a toddler, signs to slow people down,” and bubbles and sidewalk chalk, Caylor said. Another change is the constant state of remodeling up and down the street, with construction trucks often parked in the median strip. Many homeowners have expanded by incorporating former balconies into their kitchen/family room. Some have added elevators to the shaft/storage areas already framed in. When they moved in, their backyard “was a forest,” Morris Brown said, but now the rear of the home faces an office building. The back of Caylor’s home once overlooked the Roger Reynolds nursery, but now oversees construction of new three-story condos. Construction in 2017 of a 61-room hotel on El Camino Real will change the rear view of other Park Forest homes. Probably the biggest change over time has been the increase in traffic and the challenge to parking, Morris Brown said. When the homes were built (mainly in 1964), Park Forest was part of San Mateo County, but in 1979 the area was absorbed into the city of Menlo Park. At that time the homeowners associations were formed to maintain the pools and parks. The city allows daytime parking on the median strip on Stone Pine Lane, and today there is spillover from nearby businesses and

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: The Playschool, Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton; Trinity School Early Childhood Program at Holy Trinity Church, 330 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park LOCATION: between El Camino Real and Caltrain tracks, from Buckthorn Lane to Stone Pine Lane PARK: Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave., Atherton PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Laurel School, 95 Edge Road, Atherton; Encinal School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton

apartment dwellers, Denise Brown said. Despite the traffic, Park Forest residents enjoy the easy walk to downtown Menlo Park or to restaurants along El Camino Real. Loreli Trippel, who took over this year as secretary of the homeowners association, moved in 2014 from a canyon in Belmont where she had to “get in the car to get anywhere,” she said. She lauds the walkability and especially enjoys the trees behind her home. She could live without the blasting horns from the train, she said, but adding double-paned windows has helped. A runner, Trippel keeps in shape dashing up and down the steps in her multi-level home. — Carol Blitzer

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 39

Allied Arts

Magali Gauthier

hether they’ve been here just a few years or have lived in the neighborhood forever, residents agree that Allied Arts is a walkable, close-knit neighborhood. Leslie Wallace and her husband, Derek Clegg, were living in Redwood City when they sought a home closer to work several years ago. “We wanted to have a pleasant neighborhood to walk in. We walk all the time — to Draeger’s (for lunch), to downtown Palo Alto or Menlo Park, to the Stanford mall,” Clegg said. “I’m a dog person and others recognize that. We stop to pet neighbors’ dogs,” Wallace said. “We shopped at Sigona’s and Schaub’s for 15 years,” she said, calling her closer proximity “part of the bonus.” They already knew their new neighborhood would be close to everything, but what surprised the couple was its neighborliness. “When we first moved in, the van was coming and going, and we were going out to get something for dinner. We saw a group of people in the street (who) waved me over and introduced themselves. Then they started flagging down others. Later they arranged a cocktail party to meet everyone. We were in the other house for 15 years (without getting to know our neighbors),” Wallace said. Soon new neighbors invited them to the annual block party and to join the book group, which has become somewhat of the social glue of Allied Arts. “Our first Christmas here, we spent the eve with a neighbor, the day with the neighbor behind and Boxing Day with another neighbor. 40 | The Almanac | Neighborhoods

It was a lovely thing to be accepted so easily and quickly,” Wallace said. About the only thing annoying them is the middle-of-the-night noise from the Life Flight helicopters en route to Stanford Hospital. “You don’t think to ask about that before you buy,” Clegg said. But they bring some neighborhood noise of their own, with their three chickens. “Our neighbors have liked their noises,” he said with a smile. Several residents commented on the traffic on Cambridge Avenue, with people constantly making U-turns to head north on El Camino Real after leaving Stanford Shopping Center. “Traffic is crappy, but it’s not the worst thing,” Clegg said. Architecture in Allied Arts is pretty eclectic, with a lot of teardowns of older homes mostly built in the 1920s and ’30s. Avery and Marc Olesen have lived in Allied Arts since 2003. The location “just made sense” for their family, Avery said, especially with its walking distance to downtown and biking distance to school. “We lived in Los Altos, but my husband wanted Woodside and I wanted Palo Alto,” Avery said. Growing up in Palo Alto, Avery “remembered Allied Arts from childhood, with its glass blower, candle maker and wood shop.” Opened in 1929, the Allied Arts Guild on Arbor Road still attracts tourists and locals to the numerous shops, artists’ studios, gardens and a tea room that raises money for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Menlo-Atherton Cooperative Nursery School, 802 Middle Ave. FIRE STATION: 700 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park LOCATION: between El Camino Real and Arbor Road, from Middle Avenue to San Francisquito Creek PARK: Nealon Park, 800 Middle Ave., Jack W. Lyle Park, Fremont Street at Middle Avenue PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Oak Knoll Elementary School, 1895 Oak Knoll Lane, Menlo Park; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District: — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Allied Arts Guild, Downtown Menlo Park, Stanford Shopping Center

Fifteen years ago there were “a lot of young families,” Avery said, but there’s been more turnover than expected. They’ve watched friends move away and build bigger houses — tempting with their now four daughters. But the Olesens are happy staying put. “It’s very quaint. At first, we were drawn to the diversity. We felt fortunate to live here, with lots of kids on the street,” she says. Avery noted that people come from all over to experience the Allied Arts Halloween extravaganza, with its blocked-off street and potluck with roasted hot dogs. “It’s a wholesome, caring neighborhood. We take care of each other,” she said. — Carol Blitzer

EXPERIENCE

A llied A rts

Eclectic, artsy, charming. These are the words that first come to mind when describing the Allied Arts neighborhood. While living there, we loved walking our dog along the beautiful streets and gazing upon the unique and inspired architecture of each home. Close proximity to shopping and the transportation corridors of El Camino and Sand Hill Road is one of the premiere benefits of living in Allied Arts. Downtown Menlo Park and Palo Alto, the train stations, Stanford Shopping Center, Stanford University and Medical Center are easily accessible by foot, bike or car. In addition, my children were able to ride their bikes to Oak Knoll and Hillview Schools from where we lived on Partridge. We would walk to downtown Menlo Park on the weekends to shop at the Farmers Market. From a real estate perspective, Allied Arts residential sales are competitive with multiple offers from buyers who want to live in this desirable neighborhood. There are several parcels in Allied Arts zoned as R2 which allows 2 single-family homes on one parcel. Because the square footage of the parcels average around 7,000 SF, Allied Arts has a higher density than the nearby Central Menlo neighborhood offering a more affordable entry-level purchase price.

MARY GILLES YOU R M EN LO PA RK AGE NT

Here’s a quick look at the MLS recorded sales for single-family residences in Allied Arts from 2015 – October 2019. Of note is an OFF MLS sale in April on Partridge Avenue for $9,000,000. This was a 9,500-square-foot parcel with multiple units. This sale is not factored into the MLS data below. Year

# Sold

Avg. $/SF

Avg. Sale Price

2015

$1,399.43

$2,461,650

2016

$1,414.63

$3,273,267

2017

$1,412.30

$2,635,953

2018

$1,661.74

$3,653,917

2019

$1,571.45

$2,778,556

Call or email me to discuss the value of your property or the options you have for purchasing in Menlo Park where I have lived and raised my children over the past 30 years.

Allied Arts Guild

Central Menlo Park

Michelle Le

he Central Menlo Park neighborhood offers a network of wide, tree-lined streets and ranch-style homes in the heart of Menlo Park. The neighborhood’s roads are quiet with the exception of a few neighbors chatting with each other and children playing games in the street. Once a community of ranchers and their families, the neighborhood features original houses as well as a number of recently built ones. Central Menlo Park is now home to a variety of age groups, though resident and realestate agent Stephanie Savides said the majority of new buyers in the neighborhood are young families who are looking for larger lot sizes and a strong community of neighbors. A resident since 1996, Savides said Central Menlo Park residents have many reasons to love their neighborhood. In addition to being near popular locations such as downtown Menlo Park and Stanford University, residents enjoy a neighborhood feel that she said makes it “the best place anyone could possibly live.” Since she first moved to Central Menlo Park with her husband, Savides has lived in four different houses in the neighborhood. Savides grew up in Los Altos Hills and is an alum of Gunn High School and Stanford University. Shortly after graduating from Stanford, Savides and her husband moved to their first home in the neighborhood — just across the street from popular local hangout, the Dutch Goose — and raised their children there. “Choosing to live in Central Menlo Park was the best decision,” Savides said. “I think for 42 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

most people who live in and know the area, it is their first choice of places to live.” Like many other neighborhoods in the community, Central Menlo Park is a highly educated area and has recently been welcoming residents who are venture capitalists, executives of major companies and owners of hightech startups. According to Savides, certain neighbors have strong pride in their alma maters of Stanford and Cal: She recalls a rivalry between the two schools being a big deal on one of the streets where she lived. “We used to have a big fight on our street over a street pole, the street was sort of half Cal and half Stanford,” Savides said. “The Stanford people would wrap the pole in red and white and then the Cal people would get mad and in the middle of the night they’d go wrap it in blue and gold. It would always go back and forth.” Other neighborhood traditions include block parties and barbecues on some streets. On a daily basis, Savides said many people walk their dogs or go for a jog together around the neighborhood. They also bike or jog to Stanford or shops in the downtown area. The neighborhood, equidistant between U.S. Highway 101 and Interstate 280, is also wellsituated for commuters. Resident Mark Baker, who has lived in the neighborhood for nearly his entire life, said the only major changes he has noticed around the neighborhood are increased traffic and population as well as a few smaller stores that have gone out of business. Baker is still very fond of the neighborhood

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: The Kirk House Preschool, 1148 Johnson St., Menlo Park; Littlest Angels Bethany Preschool, 1095 Cloud Ave., Menlo Park; St. Joseph’s Montessori Preschool and Kindergarten, 150 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; University Heights Montessori Children’s Center, 2066 Avy Ave., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 700 Oak Grove, Menlo Park LOCATION: between Valparaiso Avenue and San Francisquito Creek, from Arbor Drive and Johnson Street to Delﬁno Way, Cloud Avenue and Vine Street PARKS: Jack W. Lyle Park, Middle Avenue and Fremont Street, Menlo Park; Nealon Park, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park; Tinker Park, Santa Cruz Avenue at Elder Avenue, Menlo Park PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Menlo School, 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; Sacred Heart Prep, 150 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton; St. Joseph’s School, 50 Emilie Ave., Atherton; St. Raymond’s Elementary School, 1211 Arbor Road, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Menlo Park City School District — Oak Knoll School, 1895 Oak Knoll Lane, Menlo Park; Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Allied Arts Guild, Downtown Menlo Park

and what it offers its residents. “The reason I still live here is that even though it is a big city and it has gotten more crowded and busy, this is still a neighborhood where my kids can ride their bikes and play basketball in the street,” Baker said. — Rachel Van Gelder

Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 43

University Heights

44 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

File photo

midday walk down the wide, straight street of Cloud Avenue provides a few signs of the charming and changing nature of University Heights. Brand new homes in a range of styles sit next to small cottages built in the mid-19th century on narrow but deep lots. On a side street, a traffic cone and a little green plastic figure caution drivers to slow for children at play. There are no sidewalks, though some properties have paths put in by residents for everyone’s use. When Maggie Heilman moved in 2002 to the neighborhood — located in unincorporated San Mateo County, astride Alameda de las Pulgas — she was looking for a place with community, where her daughter could play in the street and they could build relationships with neighbors. And that’s exactly what she found: a diverse group of friendly residents. “You’ll see ... the elderly people walking around on the streets, sometimes on their own, sometimes with caregivers, and then you see the young mom and dad pushing the stroller with their newborns — and everything in between,” she said. Since moving in, Heilman, a local real estate agent, has seen the neighborhood change as older residents have moved out of single-story ranches and new younger families have taken their place, oftentimes razing the old homes to build new two-story ones. This trend is on the rise in the last few years, Heilman, said, but it’s true of much of the area, not just University Heights. Change hasn’t altered the neighborhood’s sense of community, which benefits from the lively business district on Alameda de las Pulgas, Heilman said. Among its many local spots, University Heights has longtime hangouts the Dutch Goose and Lutticken’s. The Dutch Goose, which recently underwent renovations, is a favorite meeting place for birthdays, sports team and Stanford University students and alumni. Lutticken’s, started in 1981 as a grocery store, has expanded its deli and cafe offerings to include beer and wine, supplemented by some live music and entertainment. It serves as a casual hub for local residents and business people, as well as a campaign stop for politicians like Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden. “They were great, and they both paid their bills,” owner Bob Lutticken said. Sarah Rye moved from San Francisco to University Heights in 2010 and now lives here with her husband, two children and a dog. She greatly appreciates the ability to walk, push a stroller or bike to nearby destinations, like the Alameda business district. “I don’t even have to be in my car that much,” she said. “That appealed to me, especially coming from a more urban environment.”

In talking about University Height’s “family-friendly” nature, Rye raved about the Las Lomitas Elementary School District, but she also emphasized the neighborhood’s general feeling of welcome and safety. Though she would like to see more speed bumps installed, Rye said the quiet of the streets allows her son to visit friends on the street without her worrying too much. “The kids seek each other out. It’s really fun for them,” she said. While giving a tour of the neighborhood, Heilman points out a portion of Sherman Avenue as the “Halloween street.” For some reason unknown to her, all of the residents there decorate for the holiday, and thousands of kids come to trick-or-treat, she said. Activities in the neighborhood extend beyond Halloween, with block parties being common, Heilman and Rye say. Other events include a holiday cocktail party, a progressive dinner (taking one street’s residents from house to house for different dishes) and a benefit house concert. There is no neighborhood association, but residents communicate via an email list and the socialnetworking website Nextdoor.com. “It’s a true community of people who really make an effort to get to know each other,” Rye said. Heilman didn’t have many negative things to say about the neighborhood, though she did note that there are disadvantages to not being part of Menlo Park. Namely, there seem to be too many cars parked on the streets rather than in driveways and garages. “Which I think makes the neighborhood

FACTS CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Littlest Angels Preschool, Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Ave., Menlo Park; the Phillips Brooks School, 2245 Avy Ave., Menlo Park; University Heights Montessori Children’s Center, 2066 Avy Ave., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park LOCATION: east and west of Alameda de las Pulgas, between the Atherton border and San Francisquito Creek, from Delﬁno Way, Cloud Avenue and Vine Street to Altlschul Avenue PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Phillips Brooks School, 2245 Avy Ave., Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas Elementary School District — Las Lomitas Elementary School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park. Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Alameda de las Pulgas

look a little junky,” Heilman said, noting that the problem might eventually go away if the neighborhood were incorporated and picked up Menlo Park’s street-parking restrictions. But Heilman also enjoys the “funk” of this part of unincorporated San Mateo County, where a mix of homes and people coexist. “Everybody’s pretty friendly and low-key. I don’t think people get too uptight about too many things in this neighborhood. It seems like it’s ‘live and let live’ mostly. ... People look out for each other.” — Sam Sciolla

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 45

Stanford Hills

File photo

nly a few blocks away from Stanford Shopping Center, the Stanford Hills neighborhood in Menlo Park is surprisingly serene. Children ride their bikes on Branner Drive, a narrow street that ends at Sand Hill Road, one of the neighborhood’s borders. Branner Drive is the only way in and out of Stanford Hills, said Tim and Jeni Mahon, a couple who has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years. Recalling their choice of this neighborhood, Jeni said, “While we were looking for a home in this area, it was October. We drove through here and saw every house decorated for Halloween. Then we knew this is a family friendly neighborhood.” “And it has a park. We like being near Stanford Hills park,” Tim said. “It’s also nice that there’s only one way in and one way out, so there’s not a lot of traffic.” But its location close to amenities is great as well. “It’s near the highway, close to schools, and Safeway is just across the street, pretty convenient,” Jeni said. The only change the couple has seen here in the past 12 years is more traffic on Sand Hill Road. It is still a close-knit community, they said. “We have a Labor Day party in the park every year, and a holiday party every year,” Jeni said. “Everyone knows each other and watches out for each other. There’s not much turnover. Once you get in, it’s good.” Homes in Stanford Hills are a bit less costly than those in surrounding neighborhoods because homeowners here lease the land from Stanford University, the Mahons said. “Stanford owns all the land here. We own the 46 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

house but lease the land from the university,” Tim said. “Some Stanford faculty members live here. As a matter of fact, Stanford is trying to buy some of the houses in the neighborhood. They would extend our lease for free under the condition that we would offer to sell our house to them first, but there’s no commitment.” “You’ll offer to sell it to them first, but if they don’t want it at the price you offered, then you can go on the market and sell it,” Jeni said. “But if they say yes, then you are selling your house without real estate fees.” “I know they’ve bought a few houses in the neighborhood already,” Tim said. Paul Single, who has lived in Stanford Hills for six years, also brought up the fact that Stanford University owns the land of the neighborhood. “Each time a house is sold here, there’s a new lease created for the land, but we own the houses,” Single said. “Most of the houses here are ranch homes. They were built in the 1960s and have been updated over the years.” The “sweetness” of Stanford Hills made Single choose this neighborhood, he said. “While it’s in a convenient location, there’s no crosstown traffic here, just one road in and one road out, with very few cars driving around. So, the kids play in the street easily.” Single’s two children were coming out of the house with their bikes while he was speaking. Pat McVeigh, who lives on the same block as the Singles, said the neighborhood has always been so child-friendly since her family moved here 27 years ago. “When my children were little, they played in the street,” McVeigh said. “They set up their soccer nets. Then other kids of the

FACTS LOCATION: Branner Drive off of Sand Hill Road, including Anderson Way and Campbell Lane CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Trinity School, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas Elementary School District — Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Sharon Heights Shopping Center, across street on Sand Hill Road

neighborhood would join. I don’t see that in a lot of neighborhoods, but they still do that in this neighborhood. If you come here at 4:30 in the afternoon, when kids are back from school and have had their snacks, all you do is hear laughter, talking, bikes, and games. That’s what makes this neighborhood incredibly special. “Everyone is welcome in this neighborhood. There’s a nice racial mix. There is a mix of old and young. It’s one of the few neighborhoods I know of where kids still go door to door trick-or-treating. I think it’s the nature of the neighborhood. It’s so enclosed that the kids just feel it’s theirs,” she added. McVeigh’s children were the youngest on the block when they first came. Now the family is one of the oldest here, but what hasn’t changed is the way children play together in the street, McVeigh said. “It’s a timeless neighborhood,” she said. — Crystal Tai

Stanford Weekend Acres

File photo

ay Area residents often venture out to Lake Tahoe or the Santa Cruz Mountains to get a little fresh air and some peace and quiet. But one Menlo Park neighborhood has all that as well as proximity to everything else the Peninsula has to offer. Stanford Weekend Acres, named for the cottages in the heart of the neighborhood originally built as vacation lodging, is flanked by Stanford University and Interstate 280. It offers easy access to loads of outdoor activities, like running along the Dish Trail, shopping and jobs. The chunk of unincorporated San Mateo County land is close to everything urban, but you might see a goat or two (they’re neighborhood residents) while strolling around the area. Chris Rubin, who bought a 1920s-era home in March 2010, finds himself living a bit of a country, storybook life on Happy Hollow Lane with his family, two goats and chickens. Bike rides to the nearby Ladera Shopping Center and walks through the neighborhood with the goats are a huge part of their daily lives. “We love living near the San Francisquito Creek,” he said. “We love that the streets are quiet, all the neighbors are friendly. It’s a really nice, quaint community and everyone is very friendly.” A unique feature of Stanford Weekend Acres is its 500- to 600-square-foot, one-room cabins located on a cul-de-sac at the end of Homer

Lane. Charlie Martin lives in one of 10 homes that are collectively owned by him and his neighbors. Its 14 residents — many of whom are longtime members of the neighborhood, like Martin, who moved there in 1969 — share a laundry room, storage space and an acre of land. The “Tenants in Common” land was purchased in 1929 for $200, Martin said, noting it was a family summer vacation spot for baseball, dancing and barbecues. “I enjoy the rustic nature; it’s a very forested land,” he said. “It’s isolated, but you’re able to easily get to all the activities in the area, including the campus (Stanford University). I like the cooperative ownership; our friends are our neighbors.” Martin does have growing concerns about bigger homes being built that he says don’t quite fit in with the neighborhood’s formerly modest single-story homes. Homer Lane resident Ginger Holt moved to Stanford Weekend Acres 22 years ago, looking for a special kind of neighborhood that felt close to nature. “It’s an incredibly diverse neighborhood, multi-generational and multicultural,” she said. “We all band together and support each other.” A negative? “It’s been found by the developers,” she said. “We’re seeing a fair amount of development. Our secret got out; I don’t know who told!”

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Trinity School, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park FIRE STATION: California Department of Forestry, but closest station is Menlo Park Fire District, 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park LOCATION: between Alpine Road and San Francisquito Creek and south of Stowe Lane, between Stanford Linear Accelerator and Stanford Golf Course PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas Elementary School District — Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Ladera Shopping Center, Portola Valley; Stanford Shopping Center

Another concern has been the traffic on Alpine Road caused by a new entrance to SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the growth of Stanford University, and Bay Area population growth in general. “We can’t get in and out of neighborhood,” she said. “It’s tough for bicyclists and for people who live here. The county is working on it and there’s been some Band-Aids, but we need bigger solutions like signal lights. It takes years. We appreciate the help they have given so far.” — Angela Swartz Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 47

Sharon Heights

Magali Gauthier

ot far from Interstate 280, Sharon Heights is a neighborhood of town houses, large houses, condos and apartments in the hills above Alameda de las Pulgas, not far from both the Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club and the Stanford University Golf Course. The 574-acre community sports its own park, complete with a duck pond. Goats are brought in seasonally to keep the weeds down, Bill Binder said. That rural feel, plus easy access to I-280, drew Barbara Binder, then Barbara Krimsky, in 1993 to Sharon Heights, where she rented a townhouse for six years before purchasing one on Sand Hill Circle. She was already very fond of the location, which is near enough to I-280 for a quick getaway but without any noticeable noise. And she knew exactly what she wanted: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a nice view, safety, a fireplace, a washer/dryer and, ideally, a pool in the complex. She found her ideal unit in 1999 and kept it after her marriage to Bill Binder in 2001. It was hard to beat the living-room view, overlooking the 18th hole of the golf course. While Binder prefers the walk-ability of his old College Terrace neighborhood in Palo Alto,

48 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

he can still make it to the Safeway at Sharon Heights Shops in about 20 minutes. Over time, Binder has observed that the demographics of the townhouses have changed quite a bit. “When I first moved here, the average age was 70, mainly people who had moved here in the ’70s and never left. I recall going to Safeway and worrying about running over people. Now I’m one of them,” she said. Tom Smith, who moved in 2012 to a large home needing a lot of work with his wife, Maria Angelidou-Smith, said he took the advice of some work colleagues when seeking a neighborhood to raise their family. They found that Sharon Heights’ location offered a short commute for each of them, as well as good schools and a friendly neighborhood. At Halloween their street shut down for a block party, complete with taco truck, a DJ and a costume parade, with more than 50 children participating (some from nearby streets), he said. “There are lots of kids on the street,” Smith said, which was a factor in the young and growing family’s decision to settle there. Other neighborhood get-togethers include a community appreciation of Fourth of July fireworks, viewed from the nearby country club.

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Trinity School, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park; Littlest Angels Preschool, 1095 Cloud Ave., Menlo Park FIRE STATION: 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park LOCATION: From Sand Hill Road and I-280 to Altschul Avenue, Alameda de las Pulgas and Santa Cruz Avenue PARKS: Sharon Park, Sharon Park Drive; Sharon Hills Park, Valparaiso Avenue at Altschul Avenue PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Phillips Brooks School, 2245 Avy Ave., Menlo Park; Trinity School, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas School District — La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park; Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Sharon Heights Shops, Stanford Shopping Center

Binder could find only two things of concern in her neighborhood: traffic and cellphone service. But, the bottom line for Binder? “I like it. I think we’ll stay another 20 years.” — Carol Blitzer

EXPERIENCE

S haron H ei g hts MARY GILLES YOU R M EN LO PARK AGE NT

When buyers consider living in Menlo Park they have many beautiful neighborhoods from which to choose, each with its own unique character. Having lived in Sharon Heights for a number of years, I can personally attest to the great combination of benefits. You can take a long tranquil walk on the wide and hilly streets, stop and visit the ducks in Sharon Park with your toddlers, shop at the neighborhood grocery and pharmacy or simply grab a coffee at Starbucks or Woodside Bakery with neighborhood friends. Sharon Heights is a magnet for families focused on excellent academics for their children. The highly rated public school of the La Entrada (Las Lomitas School District) or the private Trinity School or Phillips Brooks School are all located within the Sharon Heights neighborhood. Lot sizes are typically larger than in other Menlo Park neighborhoods which attracts families seeking more living and yard space. Larger lots enable additions such as the inlaw suite my clients constructed when their parents came to live with them. As an added bonus several properties offer magnificent views of the western hills, the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club golf course or of the San Francisco Bay.

Here’s a quick look at the MLS recorded sales for single-family residences in Sharon Heights from 2015 – October 2019. Of note is the sale in August of a unique, contemporary new construction home set high above Sharon Park Drive that sold for $9,950,000. This sale is not factored into the MLS data below. Year

# Sold

Avg. $/SF

Avg. Sale Price

2015

$1,128.99

$2,986,539

2016

$1,114.61

$3,473,715

2017

$1,246.30

$3,312,892

2018

$1,402.22

$4,664,000

2019

$1,233.48

$4,118,200

Call or email me to discuss the value of your property or the options you have for purchasing in Menlo Park where I have lived and raised my children over the past 30 years.

Pond at Sharon Park

50 | The Almanac | Neighborhoods AlmanacNews.com

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FACTS 2019-20 GENERAL FUND: $5,714,402 POPULATION (2017 ESTIMATE): 4,598 MEDIAN AGE: 54.4 years HOUSEHOLDS (2014): 1,930 HOMEOWNERS: 85% 2018 MEDIAN HOME VALUE: $3.94 million

ith narrow roads leading visitors to explore what’s around the corner, Portola Valley feels miles away from Silicon Valley, yet as the proverbial crow flies, it is less than a mile from Interstate 280 and less than two miles from the center of Stanford University. The town began its existence as a logging town and gets its name from Spanish military officer Gaspar de Portola, who became the first governor of Upper California.

The town of Portola Valley was incorporated in 1964 with the goals of preserving the beauty of the valley, fostering low-density housing and limiting services to those necessary for local residents. Many of its developments have limited ridgetop building to preserve the natural environment. Coyote, wild turkey and deer sightings are common in people’s yards. To this day, the town’s goal is to maintain a balance between the rural, and the need for modern development. Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 51

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ladera

How a family recipe inspired a well-loved local company

52 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Photos by Magali Gauthier

he roots for one of the area’s most popular granola brands and a growing local business can be traced back to when Brian Tetrud, the CEO of Ladera Foods, was a kid growing up in the community of Ladera. He was one of three children in his family and the son of two doctors. His health-conscious mother, Dr. Karen Butterfield, an internist at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, decided to create her own granola recipe after a local brand raised its prices. After some experimentation, Butterfield arrived at a concoction that quickly became popular with family and friends, as Tetrud explains. “It was clear we had a winner.” Tetrud left home to attend Ithaca College after graduating from Menlo-Atherton High School, and began working in the field of renewable energy. In the summer of 2010, he was working in Washington, D.C., when his mom came to visit and she, in passing, suggested starting a business with their family granola recipe. So he decided to give it a shot. He spent about a year gathering feedback and learning the process to build a food business. He talked to Kevin Bianchini, owner of Bianchini’s Market in Ladera, to figure out how to package the product and learned what needed to be on the packaging. He talked to founders of other granola companies, like at “Bear Naked.” From his previous work, he had about $100,000 to invest in the company. His mother provided a loan to start, and he took out other loans. He also raised money from friends and family. Finally, in July 2011, he launched the granola product at Bianchini’s Market. Manufacturing started in Redwood City, at the site of Angel Heart Cakes Bakery. Later, the company moved to San Mateo. Now, its operations are back in Redwood City, off of Seaport Boulevard. “It started out as a one-man show,” said Tetrud, now 30. He he started doing just about everything himself — demonstrations, food production, deliveries, sales and accounting. “It helped me understand every aspect of the business.” However, to expand the business, he had to enlist the help of people in the community, he said. He’s kept things local, hiring fellow M-A High School grads Dylan Torres as director of sales and John Eberli as marketing manager and social media guru. Now, about a dozen people are involved in the operation — the equivalent of about seven full-time employees. The business has evolved and now generates revenue from three sources: retail, catering and co-packing. On the retail front, the granola Ladera produces is sold in 1,500 stores and Amazon. The company also supplies local corporate catering entities that feed employees at Stanford, Twitter and Paypal, among others. The third piece of their business, “co-packing,” involves packaging other companies’ products.

NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE

Brian Tetrud, founder of Ladera Foods, adds cooked granola to a machine that weighs it into individual bags. Tetrud’s family has lived in Ladera since 1991. As Tetrud has launched his business, he drew inspiration for its name from the Ladera community, which has rallied to support him — Bianchini’s Market in the Ladera shopping center was the first business to sell Tetrud’s granola, and Ladera-based family and friends were some of the business’ first investors. Today, a number of the business’ employees are also from Ladera. Setting up shop in Silicon Valley brings with it pros and cons — on the positive side, Tetrud said, there have been a number of investors and supporters who have provided helpful business advice, including Roy Johnson of Ladera, who, Tetrud said, has been an active investor. On the negative side, retaining talent has been a challenge, due to competition in the job market. Over the years, the company has expanded to sell three types of granola: the original nineingredient recipe, which contains cinnamon and cardamom; cocoa almond, which Tetrud describes as a healthful version of “Cocoa Puffs”;

CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Ladera Community Church Preschool, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Woodland School (also a private elementary school), 360 La Cuesta Drive, Portola Valley FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley LOCATION: west of Alpine Road and north of Westridge Drive to Lucero Way and La Cuesta Road NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Ladera Community Association, laderaonline.org PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Woodland School, 360 La Cuesta Drive, Portola Valley PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas Elementary School District — Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middleﬁeld Road, Atherton SHOPPING: Ladera Shopping Center, 3130 Alpine Road, Portola Valley WHAT NEIGHBORS SAY: “Neighbors really do care for one another here. Everybody says hello when you walk past.” — Julie Carr “What we loved about it was the community itself. My daughter, growing up, thought everybody had a community like this, and it sadly isn’t true. A lot of it has to do with the way it’s laid out with cul-de-sacs and walking paths that cut between houses. A lot of thought went into the way the community was developed, and that same spirit continues.” — Lennie Roberts

and the nut-free vanilla-quinoa granola, which contains seeds instead of nuts for protein. “It’s the same product we grew up with,” Tetrud said. — Kate Bradshaw

We live, love, and sell Ladera!

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Making Ladera the best place to call home. Karen Fryling

Rebecca Johnson

650.281.8752 kfryling@intero.com

650.438.2331 rjohnson@intero.com

Lic. #01326725

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www.duo-homes.com Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 53

Westridge

Veronica Weber

bout halfway down the Santa Cruz Mountains on its eastern slope resides the Town of Portola Valley. The town is spread throughout the tree-covered foothills and ridges leading up to the mountain tops. Jasper Ridge serves as the town’s northern border, and it’s along the south of that ridge that the neighborhood of Westridge is spread. Before California statehood, what is now Westridge was part of a large Spanish land grant that then was owned by American ranchers. There are not as many ranchers or horses these days; horse trails still crisscross between properties, but they are more frequently used by joggers and walkers than riders. Still, Westridge’s natural, rural feel is its defining characteristic and attraction. Westridge homes are large and mostly secluded. Visibility from the street is considered infelicitous by residents and strongly discouraged by the Westridge Architectural Supervising Committee (WASC). The WASC is an elected body of residents tasked with enforcing housing requirements and restrictions. For example, every Westridge residence is guaranteed at least 2.5 acres of land, and residents can keep horses on their property. Any alterations or additions to property must be pre-approved by the WASC. Bev Lipman formerly served as the secretary of the WASC for more than a decade and has lived in Westridge with her husband since 1991. When they moved to Westridge from Denver, 54 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

the Lipmans were eager to change from their urban lifestyle. “Our primary objective was to find a place that was quiet and had an architectural design that emphasized open space and views of nature,” she said. “I love it here because the nature is beautiful and there are great trails for walks.” Community functions are also an attraction to her, and she noted that “(the) community holds regular picnics, and every year community volunteers, young and old, take part in a broomweed pull day.” Westridge has changed since the Lipmans first moved in. “When we arrived there were still old-timers living here including some of Portola’s founders. What’s good about the new people is that they are new families with kids, which is a whole new rebirth for Portola and Westridge,” she said. Software executives Rita and Arthur Whitney moved to the neighborhood about five years ago with their young daughter. They finished building and moving into their Westridge home in 2014. The family previously lived in Palo Alto, of which their new home provides a spectacular elevated view. “In 2009, we realized Palo Alto was changing, the streets were getting busier with traffic, and there were fewer families in the neighborhood,” Rita Whitney said. “It did not feel like a home.” She grew up in New York City and her husband in small-town Canada. “We wanted to be somewhere a little more remote. Westridge

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Windmill Preschool, 4141 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Ladera Community Church Preschool, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Carillon Preschool at Christ Church, 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley; New Horizons (after-school care), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley LOCATION: Westridge Drive between Alpine and Portola roads NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Westridge Architectural Supervising Committee: Bill Dewes, secretary, 650-851-2605 PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School (K-3), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School (4-8), 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Nathhorst Triangle, Portola Road at Alpine Road; Village Square, 884 Portola Road; Ladera Shopping Center, 3130 Alpine Road, Portola Valley

is really nice because it is one with the land but also modern.” Their house, like most others, is secluded, but their lives are not hermetic. “We wanted something set back a little bit but still part of the community. I see people on the horse trails and everyone says hello,” she said. — Joshua Alvarez

Woodside Highlands

File photo

hen Ramesh Subramonian decided to move out of Palo Alto after 15 years, he sought to live in one of two Portola Valley neighborhoods. One was Woodside Highlands. The comparative affordability initially attracted him, but it was a walk amid the forested quietude and a chance conversation with a longtime resident that sealed the deal for him. “I fell in love with it,” he said of the neighborhood west of Interstate 280. Woodside Highlands, set in the foothills off of Portola Road, was exactly the kind of place Subramonian was looking for — a neighborhood where people put down roots and get to know one another. Since buying his home in 2010, Subramonian has planted an orchard, swapped extra fruits and vegetables at the town center’s “garden share” exchange on occasional Saturdays, walked the trails with his daughter and his golden retriever, and hung out with fellow residents from time to time enjoying such events as the full moon. “I can’t see anything missing,” Subramonian said about his life in the Highlands. Originally composed of summer cottages built in the 1920s and ’30s, the neighborhood has grown into an internationally diverse community of longtime residents and young families. As a visitor walks along the redwood- and oakshaded roads, the intensity of Silicon Valley life fades away. There are no through roads, which adds to the neighborhood’s tucked away feel. “When you get west of 280, you really feel as if you are in a different world,” said Jean Isaacson, president of the Woodside Highlands Home Improvement Association. Isaacson, a real estate agent, became a resident in 1968 and raised two children in the neighborhood. She was drawn to it by the woods and open space. Her house is a renovated, expanded cottage with cedar shingles, plentiful light and room outdoors to entertain under the trees. In her experience, Woodside Highlands has maintained a similar feel over the decades: peaceful and close-knit. “I find that it’s the kind of neighborhood where if you are getting your mail, somebody will stop to chat,” Isaacson explained. Historically, residents have been involved in their neighborhood in a unique way. The Home Improvement Association harks back to an association formed in the 1930s and has consistently played a role in the area’s development. When the Town of Portola Valley incorporated in 1964, some of the older roads, including those in Woodside Highlands, did not meet town standards for width and were not accepted by the town with regard to maintenance, according to Isaacson. As a result, the residents established a road maintenance district to manage repairs and improvements themselves, funded in part by a special assessment.

“We have road clean up weekends twice a year,” Isaacson said. “We decide for ourselves what projects need to be done. The result of our roads being privately maintained is that the whole community is involved and people get to know each other. Adults and kids alike pitch in and get things done.” Subramonian recalls one year seeing an older woman, who was physically unable to work on the roads, doing her part: She drove her Prius around offering people lemonade and cookies. Isaacson also noted there is a fall potluck and a holiday party, among other events, to balance out the community work with play. The Larry Lane Trail is also an important spot for neighborhood socializing. “The town’s Larry Lane Trail is right in our back yard. Neighbors frequently bump into neighbors when out for a run, hike or dog walk,” Isaacson said. Subramonian acknowledged there are differences living in the Highlands when compared to suburban north Palo Alto, but he said he’s seen each compromise become an advantage. The more remote location requires him to add 10 minutes to any commute, but at the same time, the tech worker has taken to biking to his office in Palo Alto, which has kept him fit. His home uses a septic tank instead of a sewer system, but it’s taught him to be more cognizant of his effect on the environment. There are deer that nibble on his fruit trees, so he divided his orchard down the middle, giving the wildlife access to half of his bounty while keeping half for himself. It’s this kind of living that makes him feel

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Windmill Preschool, 4141 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Ladera Community Church Preschool, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Carillon Preschool at Christ Church, 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley; New Horizons (after-school care), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley LOCATION: Santa Maria Avenue, Russell Avenue, Tynan Way, Trinity Lane and Leroy Way NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Woodside Highlands Improvement Association, president, Jean Isaacson, 650-387-8427 PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School (K-3), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School (4-8), 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Nathhorst Triangle, Portola Road at Alpine Road; Village Square, 884 Portola Road; Ladera Shopping Center, 3130 Alpine Road, Portola Valley

more connected to the earth than he ever felt in Palo Alto, he said. The homes are not mansions; in fact, his is 1,300 square feet. But it’s comfortable for him and his wife, their daughter and their dog. Looking back on his decision to move into Woodside Highlands, Subramonian said contentedly, “I’ve had no regrets.” — Jocelyn Dong and Maev Lowe Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 55

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Central Portola Valley

Local partners update longtime landmark — but not too much

56 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Photos by Sammy Dallal

uccessfully updating a 167-year-old institution isn’t easy when generations of customers feel a strong emotional attachment to it. So when a group took over the beloved Alpine Inn in Portola Valley after its owner died, expectations were high — as were the fears, that the new owners would create something too trendy, too expensive, too out of character for what had been a casual, down-home hangout for locals for decades. Judging by the crowds that have flooded The Alpine Inn, known to locals as Rossotti’s or Zott’s, since it reopened this summer, those fears have been dispelled. Zott’s may have new floors, clean bathrooms, free WiFi and artisan wood-fired pizza, but the spirit of the place largely lives on. The “goal was to make this the best version of Rossotti’s that it’s ever been,” said Greg St. Claire, who was brought in by partners Lori and Deke Hunter, Jim Kohlberg, and Fred and Stephanie Harman to restore The Alpine Inn to its former glory. (St. Claire owns Avenir Restaurant Group, which runs Nola in Palo Alto, Milagros in Redwood City and Town in San Carlos.) Deke Hunter, St. Claire and Fred Harman are all from the area and raised their children in Portola Valley. St. Claire grew up in Portola Valley, playing soccer and baseball at nearby fields and going to Zott’s with his father on Sundays. As family lore goes, his dad was a new freshman at Stanford University and had been on campus for all of 10 minutes before his roommate told him, “Put your crap in the corner. Let’s go and get a pitcher of beer at Zott’s.” (They found his father’s name carved into a wall during construction.) When Lori Hunter was a Stanford student, you could find her at Zott’s every Friday. “All the partners that went in on this have been coming here for a long time. We all were afraid it was going to either get closed or be radically changed,” she said. Locals’ love for Zott’s never faded, but the space itself had, considerably. The new owners undertook a serious renovation project

Above: Sid Cole, left, and Mary Cole enjoy an afternoon at Alpine Inn. Below: John Edwards enjoys an afternoon playing his guitar on the Alpine Inn patio. (asbestos removal included), complicated further by the fact that the building has historic status. Over several months, they tore out the tavern’s floor, built an outdoor bar, made the 250-seat beer garden wheelchair-accessible and opened up an idyllic, previously hidden view onto Los Trancos Creek, which trickles along the back of the outdoor space. Darts, a beer pong table, cornhole, large flat-screen TVs for game days and live music on Fridays make the backyard a draw for people of all ages. The original wooden tabletops, picnic tables and benches where decades of customers had carved their initials and names were repurposed into a wall next to the outside bar and a planter for a small herb and vegetable garden. They kept the horse parking out front (a group of locals still arrive on horseback some weekends, St. Claire said) and a plaque marking the “beginning of the internet age” in 1976 when a crew of SRI scientists, sitting at a picnic table in the beer garden, successfully sent an electronic message from a computer. Inside, the tavern is decorated with Stanford athletics memorabilia donated by an alumnus who went to grade school with St. Claire. One wall is dedicated to framed photos of all of the former owners, starting with Felix Buelna, who opened what was then known as Casa de Tableta in 1852 as a “roadhouse for country men to meet, play cards, to drink and to dance”; to John and Molly Alexander, whose deaths in 2017 prompted the eventual sale to the group of partners. Food-wise, the new owners wanted to preserve some of the classics, like the Zott’s burger, but completely overhauled the sourcing and ingredients. The burger is now made with

NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Carillon Preschool at Christ Church, 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley; Windmill Preschool, 4141 Alpine Road, Portola Valley FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley LOCATION: south of Westridge Drive to Portola and Alpine Roads, and west of Alpine Road PARKS: Little People’s Park at Portola Valley Town Center; Windy Hill Open Space Preserve PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Woodside Priory School, 302 Portola Road, Portola Valley PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School (K-3), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School (4-8), 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Portola Road, Valley Center (Portola and Alpine Roads), Ladera Shopping Center WHAT NEIGHBORS SAY: “When I run into the store, I always see people I know.” — Jean Lamb, who, with her husband, Ted, has lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years

beef from St. Claire’s own cattle ranch in Loma Rica or grass-fed beef from Oregon. Vegetables are organic and local, including heirloom tomatoes from nearby Webb Ranch. The owners said they’ve been overwhelmed by the community response, in a good way. By Sundays, St. Claire said, the kitchen basically runs out of ingredients and the bar out of beer. They’re regularly doing six times the volume of the old Alpine Inn at its peak, St. Claire said. “It reaffirmed what we were feeling,” he said, “that it’s such an important part of the community.” — Elena Kadvany

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 57

Portola Valley Ranch

Michelle Le

ortola Valley Ranch, a planned community that emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature, allows residents to immerse themselves in the serenity full-time. Even after three decades, Nancy Thompson can find no fault with the way of life that Portola Valley Ranch offers residents. “We’re living in clean air; we’re communing with all the animals that were here before us. ... It’s just a little enclave of, I think, protection in the Town of Portola Valley,” she said. When the first Portola Valley Ranch houses were built in 1975, strict rules were put in place to minimize the disruption of the natural environment. Developer Joe Whelan’s vision for Portola Valley Ranch was to “take 453 acres of open land, and to preserve over 75 percent of it in open space,” Ms. Thompson said. Houses were built on half-acre parcels of land, and “each individual house was sited so that it would take advantage of ... unique, special and wonderful views.” Whelan ensured, she adds, that the houses were designed to “blend into the natural environment.” Most Portola Valley Ranch houses are painted in shades of green, brown and gray and aren’t perched conspicuously on ridges or hilltops where they might disrupt the flow of the landscape. What’s more, the houses are clustered together, meaning the community requires few paved roads. Finally, Whelan insisted that only

58 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

native plants be cultivated around the houses — though other species of flowers could be grown in planter boxes or pots. Though Portola Valley Ranch boasts two swimming pools, three tennis courts, a community garden, a half acre of cabernet sauvignon grapes, miles of hiking trails and a community ranch house that serves as a “hub of social activity,” Ms. Thompson said she most appreciates the people who make up the neighborhood community. “This concept, this way of life, draws people of like minds together. People generally have a love of the outdoors ... (and know that) people, volunteers, are the engine that keeps the community going.” Mike and Suzy Housman chose to move to Portola Valley Ranch precisely because of the community spirit that Thompson describes. “We moved here after our youngest went off to college,” Mike Housman said. “When you move to a new place, you meet people usually through your children and their activities. Without that, it’s harder to meet people. ... The groups and committees and the ability to have an instant community ... that’s really what attracted us.” Portola Valley Ranch’s monthly social gettogethers and varied volunteer committees provide easy ways to connect with people. The committees are made up of residents who run everything from the Ranch’s infrastructure to its landscape and emergency-response procedures. Mr. Housman said that the one negative

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Windmill Preschool, 4141 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Ladera Community Church Preschool, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; Carillon Preschool at Christ Church, 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley; New Horizons (after-school care), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley LOCATION: south and east of Alpine Road and west of Los Trancos Road NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Portola Valley Ranch Association, pvranch.org PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School (K-3), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School (4-8), 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Nathhorst Triangle, Portola Road at Alpine Road; Village Square, 884 Portola Road; Ladera Shopping Center, 3130 Alpine Road, Portola Valley

aspect of the Ranch is the small-town atmosphere: “Most people know everyone else (in the community) ... so people are more aware of your business and your activities.” But the intimacy of the community is also beneficial in many ways; everyone is so invested in the success of the community, he said. “People watch out for one another.” — Elizabeth Lorenz and Emma Marsano

Jean Isaacson Bringing Buyers and Sellers together in Portola Valley, Woodside and surrounding communities for over 30 years

Jean Isaacson Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 116 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 DRE #00542342 jisaacson@cbnorcal.com direct: 650-387-8427

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 59

Los Trancos Woods/Vista Verde

Michelle Le

eople live here precisely because it’s up in the woods a bit, away from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley. There are no sidewalks and no streetlights — and they like it that way. But their community is also tightly knit because they’ve worked to be prepared for emergencies and to help each other through. Their system was put to the test one recent year when a house caught fire. One of the people on the emergency preparedness committee “kicked in the system and calls went out,” said Linda Drey-Nightingale, who

Michelle Le

produces a bimonthly newsletter for the area’s neighborhood associations. Every house has a set of walkie-talkies, so word quickly circulated, and the house was salvaged but for water and smoke damage. Only the garage was destroyed. The residents of the house stayed with people in the neighborhood for a few days until they could secure longer-term housing while the house was repaired. Other neighbors pitched in to loan them clothes and feed them while they dealt with the fire’s aftermath, said Rob Kalman, former president of the Vista Verde neighborhood association. “People help each other out in a way that I haven’t experienced living in Silicon Valley,” Kalman said. The Vista Verde and Los Trancos Woods neighborhoods are adjacent and very similar, but have kept separate associations over the years, according to Kalman. Vista Verde is newer, he said. But you wouldn’t know by driving the streets where one begins and the other ends, he said. More and more, the associations are banding together for events and information sharing.

60 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

FACTS LOCATION: between Page Mill and Alpine roads and Los Trancos Road FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS: Los Trancos Woods Community Association, lostrancoswoods.org; Vista Verde Community Association, vistaverdepv.org PUBLIC SCHOOLS: (Eligibility depends on the resident’s address) Palo Alto Uniﬁed School District — Lucille M. Nixon School, 1711 Stanford Ave., Palo Alto; JLS Middle School, 480 E. Meadow Drive, Palo Alto; Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto. Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School (K-3), 200 Shawnee Pass Road, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School (4-8), 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside

Each year there are at least two parties: a “spring fling” and a summer picnic, Kalman said. He also said that the Los Trancos Woods and Vista Verde neighborhoods occupy a special place. “We’re very appreciative that we live in a unique and beautiful area,” he said. “People often stay for decades and get to know each other.” — Elizabeth Lorenz and Kathy Schrenk

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650.269.4768 Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 61

Blue Oaks

Michelle Le

62 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

“In the suburbs, you grow up with kids around you. But here you don’t really get that,” he said. Putnam said he enjoys the flexibility of living in an area that is relatively remote — but only a 20-minute drive from densely populated Menlo Park and Palo Alto. “It’s just far enough away that you can be isolated if you want to be, but you’re not too far away,” he said. Putnam said that while growing up he took advantage of the area’s location and the walking paths that crisscross and surround it. “When I was younger, every day I’d go up on these trails,” he said. The development includes a restored historic home, the Freeman House, a three-room house built in the 1870s by rancher Antonio Martinez for his daughter, Maria Louisa, and her husband, Charles Freeman, according to a city report documenting historic sites. The house and surrounding ranch were purchased in 1907 by Stephen Mariani, who updated the home; the land became known as Mariani Ranch. The house received further updates in the mid-1970s after Prince Faissal Al Saud purchased the Mariani

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Windmill Preschool, 4141 Alpine Road, Portola Valley; New Horizons School-Age Center (after-school care), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley; Carillon Preschool at Christ Church, 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley; Woodside Priory School, 302 Portola Road, Portola Valley LOCATION: Redberry Road, Buck Meadow Drive and Blue Oaks Court, between Los Trancos Road and Alpine Road FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Portola Valley Station, 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School (K-3), 200 Shawnee Pass, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School (4-8), 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside POINTS OF INTEREST: The historic Freeman House, a small ranchers’ home dating to the 1870s, was restored during the development of Blue Oaks.

Ranch property, according to the report. — Bryce Druzin

Michelle Le

ocated in the southern tip of Portola Valley, the town’s newest development is overlooked by Coal Mine Ridge and surrounded by open space. Residents regularly see coyotes, bobcats, rabbits and other wildlife roaming the area. The Blue Oaks development’s first homes were constructed in the early 2000s. Jim Pollock was one of the original land buyers and headed the Blue Oaks Homeowners Association for its first 10 years. He said he was intimately involved with finalizing the plans for the neighborhood. “The density ... the type of architecture, and the amount of landscaping were issues that I think worked out fine,” he said. Pollock built his home to accommodate large groups of frequent house guests: He and his wife have five kids and 11 grandchildren. “The house often houses all or some of them,” he said. Pollock has lived in Portola Valley since 1973. He said residents of Blue Oaks are like other residents of the town and that over the years the type hasn’t changed. “They’re largely successful combined with being down to earth — no flaunting their wealth,” he said. He is the founder of Portola Valley-based Pollock Financial Group. He started the company in 1960 and now two grandsons work with him. Long driveways and large properties also give residents a degree of seclusion. “It’s an interesting combination of retaining your privacy and having relationships with your neighbors,” said Pollock. Joey Putnam, a teenager who was raised in Blue Oaks, said he felt the private vibe of the neighborhood while growing up.

Giving Thanks for 25 Years of “Walking Each Other Home”

1485 EMERSON ST PALO ALTO

700 SAND HILL CIR MENLO PARK

1236 LOS TRANCOS PORTOLA VALLEY

191 MEADOWOOD DR PORTOLA VALLEY

1050 LAKEVIEW WAY REDWOOD CITY

77 FAIR OAKS LANE ATHERTON

855 LA MESA DR PORTOLA VALLEY

1 FAIRFAX AVE ATHERTON

21 ALVERNO CT REDWOOD CITY

4 LONGSPUR ST PORTOLA VALLEY

161 LUCERO WAY PORTOLA VALLEY

30 GRANADA CT PORTOLA VALLEY

1741 COWPER ST PALO ALTO

27693 VOGUE CT LOS ALTOS HILLS

690 LINCOLN AVE PALO ALTO

1280 PINE ST PALO ALTO

734 WAVERLEY ST PALO ALTO

1505 UNIVERSITY PALO ALTO

1429 EMERSON ST PALO ALTO

1430 HARKER AVE PALO ALTO

570 CHAUCER ST PALO ALTO

521 GUADALUPE DR LOS ALTOS

341 LA MESA DR PORTOLA VALLEY

1837 BREWSTER AVE REDWOOD CITY

231 CANYON DR PALO ALTO

Legacy. Let’s Create Yours. Jennifer Pollock DRE 01215021 650.867.0609 jennifer.pollock@compass.com Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01866771. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been veriﬁed. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description.

Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 63

Brookside Park

Michelle Le

elly and Conor Flannery moved to Portola Valley to be close to hiking trails and for the school system. “And to be more in a rural area, quiet neighborhood,” Kelly Flannery said. Their neighborhood, Brookside Park, lies on a hill bordered by Alpine, Portola and Corte Madera roads. Residents enjoy access to many trails. The couple said they see deer, raccoons and foxes, but sometimes the wildlife can be a bit intrusive. “We had a wild turkey trapped in our garage (once),” she said. John Richards remembers when Corte Madera was an unpaved road. “Played in the dirt, mostly,” said Richards, describing what it was like growing up in the neighborhood during the 1950s and ’60s. Richards, an architect, lives on land his parents owned and in a house he designed and built in 1985. His do-it-yourself ethic extends to his backyard. He raises vegetables, grows fruit and keeps chickens, like his parents did. Richards said many of his neighbors do the same thing. “I like the ability to go out and dig in the ground,” he said. “That’s a big one, be a little

64 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

more self-sufficient.” The neighborhood was tighter knit when he was young, Richards said. He recalls his dad and four other families building a pool together and his mother leading groups of carolers from home to home during Christmastime. But he said that feeling isn’t completely gone; his immediate neighbors get together for dinners and parties. Below the hill lies Brookside Orchard, named for the time when, prior to development in the 1920s, the land was home to apple and pear treas. The U-shaped Brookside Drive serves as the neighborhood’s only entrance and exit, and the narrow road is flanked by wood fences and a mix of single and multi-story homes. “When I was in college I used to do (yard) work here and loved it,” said resident Dan Cornew, who graduated from Stanford University in 1984. Cornew, a management consultant, arrived in the neighborhood well more than a decade ago with his wife and four children. When he moved in, he found himself sharing a fence with his college rowing coach, whose yard he had worked many years ago. “(That’s) a stranger part of the coincidence because I didn’t pick this house,” he says. “My wife did.”

Cornew said he felt he got more bang for his buck in Portola Valley than in neighboring towns. “In Palo Alto, I’d get a house shoehorned on 6,000 square feet with rooms arranged so there would be everything the Realtor said there was,” he said. Portola Valley’s proximity to popular bike routes was another benefit for Cornew, who enjoys going for rides with a cycling group. But he said his neighbors can get annoyed at the number of cyclists using the town’s roads. “They assume they’re from Menlo Park, invading,” he said. “To some extent they are. But (they’re) public roads.” — Bryce Druzin

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Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01079009. All material presented herein is intended Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

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2019-20 TOWN GENERAL FUND: $7.9 million POPULATION: 5,510 MEDIAN AGE: 50.3 years HOUSEHOLDS: 1,911 HOMEOWNERS: 93.4% (Census 2018) XXX: 2018 $XXX MEDIAN HOME VALUE: $3.01 million

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eginning in the 19th century, Woodside’s sawmills supplied lumber using a direct road from the redwood forests to the head of the tidewater in Redwood Creek. As you drive west from Interstate 280, the air cools and the redwoods tower. This is one way to know you’re in Woodside. The charming town has a postcard-worthy grocery store, fire station and church, and

SKYWOOD/ SKYLONDA

FACTS

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homes of varying sizes are tucked into the landscape. One minute it’s shady, the next you might come upon a grassy pasture with prim-looking barns and shiny-coated horses chewing hay. Since 1956, when the Town of Woodside was incorporated, the technology boom as well as the advancement of time may have brought change to residents’ vocations and incomes, but from the outside Woodside looks pretty much the same. Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 67

Emerald Hills

Michelle Le

68 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

one of the driving factors for a lot of people to live here, aside from it being a nice area,” Kolotouros said. Woodside is not the only town that makes up the Emerald Hills neighborhood. Residents farther east live in Redwood City, an area that Luis Navarrete, his wife, Alma, and their son call home. Navarrete and his family moved from a more northern part of Redwood City to the Emerald Hills neighborhood in 2004. They were glad to settle into a hilltop home on a more open street than that of their Woodside counterparts, whose homes are ensconced in the hills and trees. Navarrete said his favorite part about living in their 35-year-old home is the spectacular view from his backyard. “That’s what I like the most. Basically we can see almost the whole Bay Area.” — Elizabeth Lorenz and Audra Sorman

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Woodside Parents’ Nursery School, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Preschool, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Redwood City Station, 4091 Jefferson Ave., Redwood City LOCATION: bounded by Edgewood Road, Alameda de las Pulgas, Farm Hill Boulevard and Interstate 280 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Emerald Hills Homeowners Association, emeraldhillshomeowners.org PARK: Edgewood County Park, Edgewood County Park, 10 Old Stage Coach Road, Redwood City PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Redwood City School District — Roy Cloud Elementary School, 3790 Red Oak Way, Redwood City. Woodside Elementary School District — Woodside School, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Woodside Town Center on Woodside Road, Woodside Plaza in Redwood City

Michelle Le

esidents of Emerald Hills can see Crystal Springs Reservoir and the fog spilling over the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains, and yet they are within less than two miles of Interstate 280, shops, libraries and schools. Thalia Lubin and her husband, Steve, are architects who work out of a studio on their Emerald Hills property. The couple found Emerald Hills to be “a more low-key area,” Thalia said, with “a lot of little streets” in a mix of chaparral and woods. “It’s hilly with a lot of windy streets,” she said, which she and her husband like. He grew up in Woodside, so they were looking to find something that was near town center. The couple, who live on a street with 10 homes, know all of their neighbors and have impromptu block parties. Peter Kolotouros grew up in the south bay, went to Stanford University decided with his wife, Christine, to move to Emerald Hills in 2000. “We had a Realtor friend, and he had always wanted to live in Woodside — I had never heard of Woodside,” Kolotouros said. But after he and his wife traversed the steep streets that cut through tree-lined hills, they decided to purchase a 1,100-square-foot bungalow in the Emerald Hills neighborhood. “We ended up getting a fixer-upper, so to speak,” he said. Originally a resort town for affluent San Franciscans wanting to escape the fog and cold, Woodside was sparsely populated at one time. In recent decades, it has become an attractive place for younger families to raise their children. “The elementary school is fantastic. It’s

Veronica Weber

Woodside Heights

hen the Bernards decided to leave their longtime neighborhood in Menlo Park and move into a larger Craftsman-style home just three miles away in Woodside Heights, they gained more than some additional bedrooms and extra yard space. “We found the best of both worlds here,” Michele Bernard said. “This neighborhood is a quiet oasis close to downtown.” Tucked in the hills between Woodside Road, Alameda de las Pulgas, Interstate 280 and West Atherton, Woodside Heights provides a rural retreat from the otherwise hectic Peninsula. The residential neighborhood was once part of the sprawling country estate that belonged to Walter Buck, vice president of the American Distilling Company. Buck’s 52-room Gothic mansion, built in 1929, still stands on 5 acres of the original estate, but the rest of the property has been since subdivided into roughly 100 parcels measuring anywhere from half an acre to 5 acres. Because the neighborhood still feels like a secluded country getaway with winding roads, abundant wildlife, homes hidden behind mature trees and an occasional vineyard, it has become an attractive place for those seeking privacy and tranquility. “We had to wait two years to find a home here,” said Bernard, who moved to Woodside Heights in 2013. Helen Ungerman said the neighborhood’s unique character has turned her into “neighborhood lifer.” Ungerman recently purchased her childhood

home from her parents so she could raise her two children in the neighborhood. “This is a great place to raise a family. It gives you a good break from the day-to-day hustle and bustle,” Ungerman said. “There’s just a different feel when you’re up here in the hills. Kids have access to nature and all that wonderful stuff outside that keeps them away from TV and video games.” Besides more cut-through traffic, Ungerman said little has changed in the neighborhood. Many of the same families, or the next generation of those families, still live in the neighborhood, she noted. Strict building restrictions have prevented homes from being torn down and replaced by bigger ones, she added. “I think that has helped the neighborhood keep that secluded feel,” she said. Ungerman is quick to add, however, that seclusion doesn’t mean living in isolation. “A lot of people want privacy, and you can have that when you want it,” she said. “But neighbors are right there when you need them. We’re really close knit.” Neighborhood get-togethers have been a longtime tradition in Woodside Heights. One family hosted a party for all the neighborhood children every Halloween for 17 years straight, Ungerman said. Just down the street, the late Shirley Temple Black would make a point to personally greet every trickor-treater who came to her front door. And during Christmas, neighbor Louise Davies, for whom the San Francisco symphony hall is named, would invite Ungerman’s school choir

FACTS CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Woodside Parents’ Nursery School, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Preschool, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Redwood City Station, 4091 Jefferson Ave., Redwood City LOCATION: south of Woodside Road and Alameda de las Pulgas adjacent to Woodside High School to Stockbridge Avenue and Eleanor Drive NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Woodside Heights Neighborhood Association, woodsideheights.org PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Las Lomitas Elementary School District — Las Lomitas Elementary School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada Middle School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park. Redwood City School District — Selby Lane Elementary School, 170 Selby Lane, Atherton; Kennedy Middle School, 2521 Goodwin Ave., Redwood City. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Plaza, Redwood City

to perform in her home. Ungerman hopes to preserve this tradition of community. Over the years, she has organized various neighborhood events, including a Batman-themed Halloween party at Wayne Manor (aka the Buck Estate) that attracted about 150 residents. “People here just genuinely want to hang out with their neighbors,” she said. — Linda Taaffe Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 69

Woodside Hills

Vivian Wong

ucked away in a corner of the bustling Silicon Valley, Woodside Hills surprises visitors with lush woods, winding roads and an equestrian community. “We joke that we have more horses than people,” said resident Debbie Mendelson. Mendelson said she doesn’t keep horses, but quite a number of Woodside Hills residents do. Lot sizes here, northeast of Interstate 280, are generally more than 1 acre, considerably larger than home sizes on the other side of the highway in the same town. Mendelson attributes the spacious landscaping of Woodside Hills to David D. Bohannon, a land developer who founded the community, and the homeowners association established in 1938 to preserve his vision by governing land use and architectural design. “Property owners come and go, but we must keep the same quality of life here,” she said. In fact, Woodside was incorporated as a town in 1956 to prevent urbanization. Mendelson recalls house shopping as a 21-year-old bride in the 1970s and said, “My husband and I liked the way the community was landscaped, and homes were hidden away.” Generations of Woodside Hills residents stay for their love of rural living, and home ownership turnover is low, according to Mendelson. Catha Hall, membership officer of Woodside Hills Garden Club, said the community

70 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

consists of retirees, high-tech employees, doctors, lawyers and other professionals — some of them new immigrants from all over the world, including China and Ethiopia. Both Hall and Mendelson say they’ve noticed a few foreign property owners who purchased the homes for investment purposes and don’t live here. A Woodside Hills resident for 18 years, Hall finds the location of the quiet community convenient. She said it’s a quick drive to shop at Whole Foods Market in Redwood City or even Trader Joe’s in San Carlos, but her family prefers a nice olive oil from Roberts Market on the other side of I-280 in Woodside. Hall said, “I would recommend Woodside Hills to home buyers, but couples with young children need to be aware that the community isn’t in the Woodside Elementary School District.” For public schools, K-8 Woodside Hills students must go to Redwood City. Another longtime resident, Linda Vartanian, said she and her husband built their home here in 1960 and have lived here since 1961. Over the past several years, she has organized an emergency preparedness program on top of the seven neighborhood watch groups. Vartanian said the idea of neighborhood watch began when she and her husband were looking for the owner of a lost dog. She explained that it’s really necessary to know

FACTS CHILDCARE & PRESCHOOLS: Woodside Parents’ Nursery School, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Preschool, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Redwood City Station, 4091 Jefferson Ave., Redwood City LOCATION: north of Woodside Road and I-280 between Cañada College and Menlo Country Club to Las Pulgas Road NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Woodside Hills Homes Association, woodsidehills.org PARKS: Huddart County Park, 1100 Kings Mountain Road, Woodside; Wunderlich County Park, 4040 Woodside Road, Woodside PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Redwood City School District — Henry Ford School, 2498 Massachusetts Ave., Redwood City; Kennedy Middle School, 2521 Goodwin Ave., Redwood City; plus magnet schools. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Plaza, Redwood City

which household has an elderly person or a baby as well as what resources and skills are already here in the community. “With our low population density, we are not going to get help as quickly as Redwood City or Palo Alto residents if a big disaster hits. So, we must prepare ourselves for emergencies,” she said. — Crystal Tai

Family Farm/Hidden Valley

Veronica Weber

s Sand Hill Road curves from Interstate 280 toward Portola Valley, the scenery quickly changes from suburban to rural. Thick stands of trees line the roads, breaking occasionally for a glimpse of a golden meadow. It can be easy to miss the two Woodside neighborhoods that rest just to the east of Portola Road: Family Farm and Hidden Valley. There, the lots are large, leaving many of the residences secluded. When Roberta Kerwin and her husband wanted to build a home, they chanced upon an empty lot in Hidden Valley with views of the nearby hills. Their home, which they moved into in 1975, was built to maximize those vistas. Out of the original 1950s development of Hidden Valley, today’s residents have built and continue to build new homes — sprawling estates in styles with Spanish, Mediterranean and East Coast influences. Kerwin notes that most residents seem to settle down long term, but when they move away, younger families tend to take their place. While no formal neighborhood association exists, residents do get together for an annual Christmas party and can contact one another through an email list. Kerwin enjoys walking a few miles each

day along the neighborhood’s manicured, undulating streets and the region’s various walking paths. “Walking is wonderful, wonderful,” she said. “Sometimes I never see a car.” To the north of Hidden Valley lies Family Farm, which if anything feels even more enmeshed in its natural surroundings. Judy Levin, a bronze sculptor who also works in real estate, has lived in Family Farm with her husband for about a decade. While they keep the portion of property around their home well-maintained, they let the majority of the land be. “We prefer the rest of the property to be in its natural state, and I think all the neighbors prefer it that way,” Levin said. The Family Farm Road Association exists to take care of the neighborhood’s private roads, but the sense of community goes much deeper. Every year there is a summer barbecue and holiday party, and neighbors often gather to welcome a new addition with wine and appetizers, said Mary Henry, a resident since 2000. “When there’s a great band playing at the Pioneer Saloon, you’ll find residents ... getting together,” she said. Residents are animal people, said Henry and

Levin, and Family Farm is home to horses, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, cats and many dogs. “I regard this as a Camelot,” Henry said. “It feels very remote, but you can be anywhere in minutes. The weather is beautiful, the views are gorgeous, the neighborhood is very ... warm and caring. I really cannot imagine a lovelier spot.” — Sam Sciolla Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 71

Woodside Glens

Veronica Weber

arlene Batchelder is neither the longestterm resident of Woodside Glens nor the most recent arrival, but kind of a little of each. Back in 1939 her folks were San Francisco residents who were enticed by Southern Pacific Railroad to purchase a weekend cottage in the woodsy hills of Woodside. Growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Batchelder describes her old neighbors as “kind of like old hippies, an enclave of artists and independent thinkers.” And today, she said, “most (neighbors) fit a particular mold: very tolerant, welcoming, kind, supportive.” The Glens was established as two subdivisions in the 1920s, which included 254 lots ranging from 7,000 to 20,000 square feet. Ultimately, about 185 homes were built. Over time septic tanks gave way to sewer pipes, and the Town of Woodside capped the size of residences. Batchelder, then Darlene Laye, left The Glens to go to school, join the military and marry Darrell Batchelder. The couple returned in 1992 and raised their two sons in a home they built next door to her mother. Eventually, they sold that house and moved back into Darlene’s childhood home. “By the 1990s people were starting to radically remodel and tear down” the original cottages, which weren’t designed for all-yearround living, she said.

72 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

Most of the major remodels still conform to the rustic ambiance; shingles and wood siding are still far more prominent than the occasional stucco. Batchelder lauds the tight-knit community of neighbors, who regularly get together to celebrate birthdays and hold open houses around Thanksgiving and Christmas. “A real tradition is Halloween,” she said, when they close the streets for a huge block party. “It’s very safe. We know our neighbors.” And to catch the fireworks on the Fourth of July, most troop up to Kite Hill, the open space separating the neighborhood from nearby Interstate 280 and a place where children often play. “Everybody walks,” often with their dogs, Batchelder said. It’s just 15 minutes by foot into the town center of Woodside, she adds. Zackary Simkover, a competitive bicyclist, and his wife, Meghan, jumped at the chance to move from San Francisco when they heard about a Glens house coming on the market. “I think it’s a great place to start. We want kids,” he said, noting the reputation of the nearby school. The combination of Meghan’s parents living nearby in Atherton, easy access to cycling thoroughfare Canada Road, and trails for walking the dog or taking a shortcut to town, Woodside Glens seemed ideal to them. He can even cycle to the Redwood City train station to catch one of Caltrain’s express

FACTS CHILDCARE & PRESCHOOLS: Woodside Parents’ Nursery School, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Preschool, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside School Child Care, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Woodside Station, 3111 Woodside Road, Woodside LOCATION: Between I-280 and Cañada Road, Neuman Lane and Arbor Court PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Woodside Elementary School District — Woodside Elementary School, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside

trains to the city. A few weeks after moving in, they invited their neighbors over for wine and cheese on the deck. They found the neighbors “amazingly welcoming,” he said. And Simkover’s already jumping into local politics, joining the Woodside Circulation Committee that aims to make the local roadways safer for pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists. “It’s a great fit for me,” he said. “This is pretty much our dream. Our friends say, ‘You guys won the lottery.’” — Carol Blitzer

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Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 73

Mountain Home Road (Central Woodside)

Photos by Veronica Weber

ituated a stone’s throw from Woodside’s town center, Mountain Home Road is bordered by a meandering creek. The Central Woodside neighborhood got its start as the huge Mountain Home Ranch and passed through the hands of late-19th-century millionaires, including the Folger family of coffee fame. Residents love their horses and aren’t afraid to show it. At the same time, residents are very private and choose to live away from the center of Silicon Valley life. Many of the homes in the Mountain Home Road area are surrounded by horse trails. And while the large lots and mansions — along with the beautiful and convenient location — have

attracted rich and famous types, including Oracle’s Larry Ellison, the equestrian element is still going strong. Fentress Hall has lived in the area for more than 10 years but had wanted to live there 25 years before that. She had often gone on rides with her horse in nearby Wunderlich County Park and always wanted to live nearby. She finally found a 100-year-old cottage on a property with a barn and enough acreage to allow her to keep up to eight horses. The trail to Wunderlich goes right along her property. “If you want to have horses at home, this is where you go,” she said. At least half the people in the neighborhood have horses, Hall estimated. She already knew many of them when she moved in and met the rest on the trails thereafter. People are more friendly here than where she used to live in Atherton, she said. But more people are moving in who don’t have horses, said neighbor Kathleen Scutchfield. “It is changing,” she said. Some of the trails go across private property, so access is at the whim of the owners. “If the property (owner) wants to close the trails off, they can.” — Kathy Schrenk

74 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

FACTS CHILDCARE & PRESCHOOLS: Woodside Parents’ Nursery School, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Preschool, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside FIRE STATION: Woodside Fire Protection District, Woodside Station, 3111 Woodside Road, Woodside LOCATION: south of Woodside Road between Woodside Road to the west and Whiskey Hill and Sand Hill Roads; bisected by Mountain Home Road PARKS: Huddart County Park, 1100 Kings Mountain Road, Woodside; Wunderlich County Park, 4040 Woodside Road, Woodside PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School, 200 Shawnee Pass Road, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School, 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. Woodside Elementary School District — Woodside Elementary School, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: Woodside Road, Woodside CLAIMS TO FAME: Until There’s a Cure Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS, is based in Mountain Home Road. Also, the neighborhood made news, and the Forbes List, in 2012 with what at the time was the most expensive home sale in U.S. history, a 9-acre property that sold for $117.5 million to Masayoshi Son, Japan’s second-richest man, according to Forbes.

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HELEN & BRAD MILLER Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01079009. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

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| The Almanac | 75

Skywood/Skylonda

Veronica Weber

s Highway 84 climbs into the mountains, redwood, oak and eucalyptus trees thicken, dappling the winding road to Skywood with shade. The Woodside neighborhood is a nature lover’s paradise, hidden among the trees just off the mountain highway. Suzanne Muller, a Skywood resident for 12 years, calls it “heaven.We love being near nature,” she said. Dry, grassy hills and lush foliage give Skywood its quintessential northern California feel, and the nearby Wunderlich Park offers residents 942 acres of hiking trails through its forests and meadows. The neighborhood is still, warm and quiet, protected by its trees and also its altitude, which sets it away from the bustle of the Peninsula. Many of the homes play with levels to accommodate the uneven mountain terrain. Expansive glass windows let in the natural light that streams through the trees. The styles vary; each custom-built house is unique. “It’s an eclectic mix of architecture,” Muller said. Her own midentury modern home stands among ranch-style properties, Japanese-inspired retreats and chalet-like cobblestone cabins. The properties vary in size from about 1 to 5 acres, with large yards well incorporated into the surrounding landscape. Woodside’s “Backyard Habitat” program, designed by the town’s open space committee, recognizes residents who aim to preserve the lush and 76 | The Almanac | AlmanacNews.com

expansive wilderness often a part of their home. The Mullers, who fenced their property’s immediate acre, left the other four acres for the deer, earning them a 3-foot tall, forged metal Backyard Habitat Award to display in their yard. Despite the private, secluded feel of many of the homes, residents are neighborly, Muller said. “The people, that’s huge,” she said. “We’ve made a lot of friends up here.” This close-knit community is also home to Mani Kulasooriya, his wife and three children. The family moved in a few years ago from Cupertino when they found their home, a Spanish mission-style in need of repairs, and thought the views too beautiful to pass up. Kulasooriya and Muller share a similar appreciation for the neighborhood. “You almost feel like you are way out in the countryside,” Kulasooriya said, adding that “People are very friendly.” Skywood’s neighborhood association “has been pretty inactive,” Muller said, though she largely attributes this to a change in neighborhood resources. Residents now have access to a Portola Valley email forum, in addition to private social networking site Nextdoor.com, assets that allow neighbors to keep in contact regarding local news and current events. And according to Kulasooriya, members of the neighborhood gather for social events four or five times per year. Kulasooriya estimates that close to 15 families, along with his own, have children

FACTS FIRE STATION: Cal Fire - Sky Londa Station, 17290 Skyline Blvd., Woodside LOCATION: south of Wunderlich County Park between Highway 84 and La Honda Open Space Preserve PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Portola Valley School District — Ormondale School, 200 Shawnee Pass Road, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School, 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside SHOPPING: State Route 84 and La Honda Road

who attend school in the Portola Valley School District. His two older kids attend Corte Madera School; his youngest is at Ormondale School. The commute to school is easy, he said. Despite the seemingly remote location, Kulasooriya and Muller agree that it’s a comfortable drive to the Peninsula’s hub. “It’s really only 10 minutes to 280,” Kulasooriya said. Other Skywood residents might agree that Old La Honda Road’s twists and turns are a small price to pay for a piece of paradise in the mountains. In general, the Woodside neighborhood’s residents are there for the long haul. “I don’t think we have a lot of turnover,” Muller said. — Lena Pressesky

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Kings Mountain/Skyline

Residents look to their own for ﬁrst responders

NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE

Photos by Adam Pardee

he firefighters who serve in the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade are tethered to their community in a way that career firefighters — with homes in distant counties, paid time off and a schedule of two days on and four days off — are not. In the case of a fire or other significant emergency, Kings Mountain volunteers will leave work and head back to their community, brigade Chief Jim Sullivan noted. Brigade firefighters have the same training and skills as paid firefighters, Sullivan said. The training regimen includes structure and wildland firefighting, medical aid, rescue, automobile stabilization and extrication, and the handling of hazardous materials people drive to the area from the valleys below to dump chemicals, he said. The fire brigade’s area of service covers state Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard) between the intersections of state highways 92 in San Mateo and 84 in Woodside, and 3 to 5 miles down the east and west sides of the coastal ridge, according to Sullivan. Though many volunteer agencies depend on second-hand equipment, the Kings Mountain brigade does not. It buys new equipment, funded principally with tens of thousands of dollars in annual proceeds from the Kings Mountain Art Fair (held on Labor Day weekend), Sullivan said. New equipment was not as critical as local knowledge in fighting the Skeggs fire in the hills above Woodside in early September 2017. A spotter plane from the California Department of Forestry and Fire saw smoke in a wooded area after a series of lightning strikes. Local firefighters surrounded the area to observe the fire overnight, Chief Dan Ghiorso of the Woodside Fire Protection District told the Almanac. (Ghiorso retired in April 2019.) At dawn, six firefighters from the Kings Mountain brigade began hiking in, equipped with chain saws and a familiarity with the area that enabled them to find and fight the fire, according to Ari Delay, fire chief with the volunteer La Honda Fire Brigade. “Local knowledge is invaluable,” he added. The brigade crew possesses at least one skill that may not be common in publicly funded firefighting agencies in the valleys below: adeptness at transporting water to the scene of a fire in a water tender. Driving a tender is tricky, as it is subject to rollovers as the water sways despite devices inside the tank to stabilize it. Because of its uncommon expertise, the Kings Mountain group trains tender drivers in other fire districts, Assistant Chief Hank Stern said. Management skills are another challenge

Above: Volunteer firefighter Matt King assists firefighters during a training exercise at Kings Mountain Fire Department. Below: Firefighters spray a fire hose during a training scenario. for a volunteer fire brigade in that the people being managed are volunteers. Legally, they are employees with the same workplace protections as career firefighters, Sullivan said, but they’re unpaid. Help is not hard to find in an emergency, Sullivan said, but the “true hero volunteers are the ones that commit to take the time to take the training.” “Lots of able-bodied people would volunteer, but would they be useful?” he added. Recruiting, too, is an art. New residents may not realize that a neighbor is also a volunteer firefighter. “Usually we don’t ask,” Assistant Chief Matt King said. “This is a lot to take on. There are people who have a problem saying no.” Firefighters could be on duty for minutes or hours or days. “It’s a big sacrifice,” Assistant Chief Stern said. Delay noted that he has occasionally worked all night as a first-responder, taken a shower and headed off to his day job. Kings Mountain resident and volunteer firefighter Sean Fender, 27, is a fitness instructor at Google. He is also a Woodside fire district cadet. The one-year cadet program is an introduction to the firefighting life, day in and day out, Ghiorso said. Fender said he is working toward a career in firefighting, including becoming a paramedic. He took a break from training at

CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Venture Free Children’s Center at Kings Mountain Elementary School, 211 Swett Road, Woodside FIRE STATION: Cal Fire - Skylonda Station, 17290 Skyline Blvd., Woodside; Kings Mountain Fire Brigade, 13889 Skyline Blvd., Woodside LOCATION: surrounding northern Skyline Boulevard and upper Kings Mountain Road, around Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Kings Mountain Association, kingsmountainonline.com PARKS: Huddart County Park, 1100 Kings Mountain Road, Woodside; Wunderlich County Park, 4040 Woodside Road, Woodside; Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard, Woodside; El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard, Woodside. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Cabrillo Uniﬁed School District — Kings Mountain Elementary School, 211 Swett Road, Woodside; Cunha Intermediate School, Kelly Avenue and Church Street, Half Moon Bay; Half Moon Bay High School, 1 Lewis Foster Drive, Half Moon Bay. Woodside Elementary School District — Woodside Elementary School, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside. Sequoia Union High School District — Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside. SHOPPING: Crystal Springs Shopping Center, San Mateo; Half Moon Bay shopping district, Half Moon Bay SPECIAL EVENTS: Kings Mountain Art Fair, held every Labor Day weekend, features independent artists raises funds for the Fire Brigade and other local programs and services. WHAT NEIGHBORS SAY: “What will keep us here lifelong is this community of Kings Mountain. It’s very special here. It’s a very educated, open-minded, if not liberal, community. The income is varied.” — Lance Fung “It was a little like your initiation, your way of paying back to the community, to volunteer” — Eileen Frederikson, who within a week of moving in, was recruited to do publicity for the art fair

the brigade station at 13889 Skyline Blvd. to comment on his volunteer service. “I liked the idea of learning the skills and being of use to the community,” he explains. Firefighting “kind of feels more like a calling than anything else.” —Dave Boyce

Neighborhoods | The Almanac | 77

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